Brenda Zoe Thomas

Brenda Zoe Thomas, 75, of Lakeland, Florida, passed away on December 29, 2025. She was born to Harley and Gladys Aldrich on April 17, 1950, in Faribault, Minnesota. Brenda was the oldest of three daughters and dearly loved her sisters, Zona Levendoski and Cari Boswell.

Brenda lived a life marked by creativity, generosity, perseverance, and deep compassion for others. She had a gift for seeing beauty and possibility everywhere she went — and for making what she touched more thoughtful, more intentional, and more beautiful.

Throughout her life, Brenda thrived in places where creativity and care for others intersected. She worked in a variety of roles, including at a nursing home, as a beautician after attending beauty school, as an executive secretary for a college president, and as an instructor at a card-making store. She also spent many years making, painting, and selling wonderfully detailed, high-quality craft items. Though she was skilled at managing her craft, time, and materials, Brenda’s greatest joy was not profit — it was giving her heart away to someone in need. She always gave what she had.

Her artistic talents were wide-ranging and ever-present. From ceramics in her late teens to painting with acrylics and oils, from intricately detailed wooden crafts to card-making, sewing, and quilting, Brenda’s work was always done with care and excellence. Creativity was not merely a hobby for her — it was her love language.

Brenda deeply loved beauty. Even in seasons when she had little, she had a remarkable ability to make what she did have beautiful. She loved setting a welcoming table with pretty dishes, decorating her home, and finding creative ways to make the most of what was available. She saw beauty in God’s design all around her and was naturally wired to reflect that beauty to others.

Her faith was central to her life. Brenda loved Jesus and those who were in need of Him. She had a passion for the Scriptures and, in later years, began recopying them in her own handwriting, often using color and doodling as a way to write them and treasure them in her heart. She was also an ardent prayer warrior. Journals found among her belongings contain the names and needs of countless people she faithfully prayed for over the years. She believed deeply in God’s love and compassion for others and was convinced of the power of prayer.

Brenda met the love of her life, Ronnie, while he was attending Bible college and she was working as the vice president’s secretary. They fell in love and were married on October 10, 1980. Brenda often affectionately referred to him as “my Ronnie” or “Ronnie-Bear.” Their marriage was marked by faith, commitment, and a shared love for their kids and grandchildren.

Brenda’s journey into motherhood was one of both great joy and profound sorrow. She was once told by her doctor that she would never be able to have children. Through five miscarriages, she endured deep loss, yet she also became the loving mother of two children — her daughter, Jen, and her son, Justin. These experiences shaped her tenderness, resilience, and compassion for others who suffered.

One of Brenda’s most beloved expressions of creativity and generosity was her long-standing involvement with Operation Christmas Child. Over the years, she coordinated, themed, and packed hundreds of shoeboxes that were sent around the world so children could receive gifts and hear the message of Jesus. In honor of her 75th birthday, she packed 75 boxes — a milestone she celebrated with great joy. She delighted in finding the best ideas, the best deals, and the perfect way to pack each box to the fullest, believing God would place the right box into the right child’s hands.

Brenda’s generosity extended into everyday life as well — from making goodies for her husband Ronnie’s military PTSD group, to praying with Amazon and Walmart delivery drivers, to quietly carrying others’ burdens in prayer. Even as she faced significant health challenges over the years, including loss of her eyesight and independence, Brenda remained determined to stay engaged in the lives of others, trusting God for strength to do what she could.

For the last eleven years of Brenda’s life, she shared a special season with her daughter, Jen. What began as a practical solution to meet Brenda’s growing health needs became a deeply meaningful season of life together. Brenda loved being able to live with Jen and her grandson Caleb. As Brenda had poured herself out for others throughout her life, this season became a beautiful turning — one in which Jen faithfully, humbly, and sacrificially poured that same love back into her mother. It was a profound expression of their bond and a reflection of the compassion Brenda had lived out so freely.

Brenda shared a special connection with her son, Justin, whom she affectionately called “my iron that sharpeth my iron.” Their relationship was shaped by a shared love for God, people, teaching, and music. Brenda was deeply proud of Justin stepping into ministry and delighted in seeing her nurtured seeds bearing fruit through Justin in other people’s lives.

Brenda found immense joy in being a grandmother. She was the proud grandma of Caleb, age 22, and Noah, age 7, and she delighted in building relationships with them through laughter and shared experiences. Some of her happiest moments were spent enjoying movie nights with drizzle popcorn, watching countless Star Wars movies and television shows, and sitting on the floor surrounded by LEGO creations — so. many. LEGOs! She loved being with her grandsons right where they were, entering their worlds with warmth, curiosity, playfulness, and joy, and making memories that will be treasured for a lifetime.

Brenda also held a deep and immediate love for her daughter-in-law, Rachael. From the moment she met her, Brenda knew she would one day be a second daughter to her. She cherished their relationship and delighted in welcoming Rachael fully into her heart and family.

At the core of Brenda’s life was her big heart. She felt deeply, loved freely, and never wanted anyone to feel alone in their pain. She was known for her laughter, her playful sense of humor, and her ability to make people feel seen and cared for. Whether through a thoughtful gift, a handwritten note, a prayer, or a creative surprise, Brenda found ways to leave love behind wherever she went and quickly became everyone’s “friend,” “mom,” or “grandma.”

Brenda is survived by her children, Jen and Justin; her daughter-in-law, Rachael; her grandsons, Caleb and Noah; and many family members, friends, and loved ones whose lives were touched by her faith, creativity, and compassion.

Her legacy lives on in the beauty she created, the prayers she prayed, the generosity she showed, and the love she gave so freely. “To God be the glory.” She will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.