Brenda L Trazzare

Brenda Lee Linster Trazzare lost her battle with cancer on January 16, 2021, in Colorado Springs. She was 58 years old, although that is not what she would want people to remember. She was kind, loving, a loyal friend, fiercely competitive, funny, sarcastic, and to be honest a little bit crazy. She lived in Colorado Springs for many years, but she was originally from Pittsfield, Maine.

She is survived by a large loving and somewhat unconventional family. Her wife, Gloria Jean Tate, who has the patience of a saint for enduring almost 30 years of craziness. Her brother, Ernie Waltman of Palmyra, Maine, was a loyal brother and shared her interest in fixing things and mechanics. Her children, who were her proudest accomplishments, and the reason for her thinning grey hair, Dawn Marie Leslie and Michael Duane White, Jr. of Colorado Springs, CO, Jonathan and Bobbie Jo McGraw of New Castle, Maine, Carrie and Joe Giardello of Glenburn, Maine, Deborah Ann and Craig Spialek of Denver, CO, and Jessica and Matt Hotchkiss of Colorado Springs, CO. She also left behind 15 grandkids and 2 great-grandchildren, who as far as she was concerned, could do no wrong. Even though Brenda is gone way too soon, she lived a full life and she lived it on her terms. She traveled a bit, she never missed a chance to laugh at an inappropriate joke (even though she was usually the one telling it), she learned what she wanted, fixed what she could, tried to teach her kids what she could (not that they ever seemed to pay attention), she never took herself too seriously, and most importantly she loved who she wanted to love and made no apologies for it.

She loved a good scotch, shooting pool, and telling stories (you could be sure at least 75% of it was true). Did I mention a good scotch? She was a loyal friend and as far as she was concerned, a friend was family and there were no strangers, just potential friends. She always saw the potential in everybody.

Since her family refused to prop her up in a chair with a drink in her hand, she opted out of having any kind of memorial service. She never wanted to have a room full of people she loved standing around crying. So instead, celebrate Brenda’s life by raising a drink to her and have a good time, or next time you hear an inappropriate joke, think of her and laugh a little harder and a little longer. Most of all, honor her by being yourself and living your truth without making any apologies for it. She always believed in living life to the fullest. Oh, and by the way, always smile, that way everyone will always wonder what you are up to, besides, it’s contagious.