Brenda Buzash Cook

Brenda Buzash Cook, 81, passed away peacefully in her home on August 1, 2026, after a recent illness. Mimi, as she was known to many, was born December 27, 1944, in Fort Dix, New Jersey, to her parents Georgia W. Buzash and Albert S. Buzash. Brenda spent her time growing up alongside her parents and siblings in Japan, Germany and Taiwan, as well as numerous locations in the U.S. during her father’s deployments.

After her first marriage, Brenda met and found the love of her life, Gary. They married in 1980 and lived outside of Philadelphia, PA. She had a wonderful career with Avon in New York City and later owned a fine gifts and collectibles store, The Golden Swan, in Baton Rouge, LA. She has always had a passion for swans and owned multiple pairs at her homes in Louisiana and Florida. Brenda loved to travel and spend time with her family, often mixing the two with great family vacations to ski, sit on a beach or cruise the many oceans. She was also an accomplished painter and lover of wire fox terriers and other pets.

She was preceded in death by her parents Georgia W. Buzash and Albert S. Buzash, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired), her grandson Sean Sorenson (15) and her granddaughter Sarah Beth Jones (18 mths).

Brenda is survived by her husband of 46 years E. Gary Cook, her children E. Robert Jones, Jr., Commander, U.S. Navy (Retired) of Green Cove Springs, FL, David M. Jones of Jacksonville, FL, J. Georgia Sorenson of St. Johns, FL, her brother Albert S. Buzash, Jr. of Weathersfield, CT and her sister Susan Varner of Jacksonville, FL. She is also survived by her grandchildren E. Robert Jones III, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, Julia Jones, Jonathan Sorenson and Brenna Skye Jones, along with many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visitation will be held at Hardage-Giddens St. Johns, at 1285 St. Johns Parkway, St. Johns, FL 32259 on Friday, August 7, 2026, from 6:00 pm to 8:00pm. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at 11:00am at the same location. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to National Alliance on Mental Illness, a cause about which Brenda was deeply passionate and for which she served as chair of a local mental health organization. www.nami.org or NAMI, PO Box 49104, Baltimore, MD 21297.