Brenda Arender Cahoon

Brenda Faye Arender Cahoon, 67, of Forest, Mississippi, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on June 14, 2026. She met her final days with the same strength, faith, and grace that defined her entire life.

Born in Jackson, Mississippi, on September 11, 1958, to Leslie Sennett and Betty Faye Arender. Brenda was raised in a loving home grounded in a strong Christian faith. At the age of nine, she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, and she later professed her faith publicly and was baptized at Highland Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi. That decision shaped the course of her life, guiding how she loved, how she served, and how she cared for others.

Brenda was smart, beautiful, strong, and determined—fiercely devoted to the people she loved. She found joy in the simple things: cooking for her family, keeping treasured traditions alive, spending quiet hours beside the water with a fishing pole in her hand, and, above all, spending time with her grandchildren. She had a gift for making every gathering feel like home and every person feel important, loved, and heard. Generous and selfless, she always put others before herself, and she left every life she touched a little better than she found it.

Professionally, Brenda built a distinguished career in the banking industry, shattering the glass ceiling at a time when it was very much a man's world. Her intelligence, determination, and fierce work ethic earned the respect of all who worked alongside her.

Brenda was preceded in death by her parents, Leslie and Betty Faye Arender of Jackson, Mississippi; her former husband, Bob Cahoon, of Florence, Mississippi; her paternal grandparents, Hulon and Estelle Arender of Raleigh, Mississippi; and her maternal grandparents, Frank Copeland Sr. and Irene Copeland of Pearl, Mississippi.

She is survived by her son, Trey (Kisha), of Forest, Mississippi, and daughter, Amber (Kenny), of Windsor, Colorado; her beloved grandchildren, Rhett Cahoon, Sadie Cahoon, Kaden Hodges, and Madelyn Hodges; her sisters, Debra Arender of Asheville, Alabama, Becky Wright (Michael) of Pearl, Mississippi, Beverly Goodwin (Vic) of Brandon, Mississippi, and Tanya Prestage (Paul) of Morton, Mississippi; and a host of nieces and nephews whom she claimed as her own, as well as extended family and friends who loved her dearly.

Visitation will be held at Lakewood Funeral Home, 6011 Clinton Blvd., Jackson, Mississippi 39209, on June 20, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. A Celebration of Life will follow at 2:00 p.m. at the same location, with a Committal Service to follow at Lakewood Memorial Park immediately after.

Pallbearers will be Trey Cahoon, Rhett Cahoon, Kenny Hodges, Kaden Hodges, Vic Goodwin, and Randy Cahoon.

The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to the countless nurses and doctors who cared for Brenda throughout her illness, with special thanks to Dr. Bobby Graham and Dr. Timothy Cannon.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” — 2 Timothy 4:7