Brendan Michael Haney

Brendan Michael Haney, age 30, entered into his heavenly home, on April 24, 2012 in Houston, TX. He was born on August 14, 1981 in New Iberia, LA, at 4:10 in the afternoon. He is survived by his mother, Brenda Kathleen Smith, and her husband, Thomas Noel Smith; his father, William Byron Haney, his sister, Tara Lynn Reddy; her husband, Sudhir Reddy; their daughter and Brendan’s niece, Leela Kathleen Krishna Reddy; and his maternal grandparents, Wiley and Sue Lowe.

Brendan spent his early childhood in New Iberia, Louisiana, and later moved to Magnolia, Texas, where he spent all of his later childhood, attended school, and participated in Little League Baseball. He loved sports and outdoor activities. He remained in Houston as an adult and was employed as a Survey Field Chief.

A Memorial Service will be held Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 2:00 PM at Forest Park Funeral Chapel in The Woodlands, Texas.

Brendan held a keen interest in nature and one of his dreams was to be a Park Ranger. He enjoyed going to parks and the preservation of natural areas was important to him. He would feel honored if you would contribute to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Your donation to the department's official nonprofit partner, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation, will be used to help keep state parks open and to fund special projects. You may commemorate his passing by making a contribution online at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/donations/

Please indicate that your Memorial Donation is in memory of Brendan Michael Haney on the donation page https://tpwf.ejoinme.org/?tabid=314758

HERE IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEMORIAL SERVICE

BRENDAN MICHAEL HANEY

Memorial Service

Sunday, April 29, 2012, 2:00 pm

The Woodlands, Texas

MUSIC

“ The City of New Orleans” – Arlo Guthrie

“A River Runs Through It” – Soundtrack, A River Runs Through It

“In Half Light of the Canyon” – Soundtrack, A River Runs Through It

“Haunted by Waters” – Soundtrack, A River Runs Through It

“Shenandoah” – Shenandoah, Shenandoah National Park, The National Park Series, Orange Tree Productions

“Dixie” – Songs of the South, Jim Gibson, Hickory Cove Music

OBITUARY

Brendan Michael Haney, age 30, entered into his heavenly home, on April 24, 2012 in Houston, Texas. He was born on August 14, 1981 in New Iberia, Louisiana. He is survived by his mother, Brenda Kathleen Smith, and her husband, Thomas Noel Smith; his father, William Byron Haney, his sister, Tara Lynn Reddy; her husband, Sudhir Reddy; their daughter and Brendan’s niece, Leela; and his maternal grandparents, Wiley and Sue Lowe.

In the Book of Hosea and in the First Book of Corinthians, the scriptures speak of God’s victory over death. Two times, the Bible says “O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy victory?” We gather today, on this warm April Sunday afternoon, to pay tribute to a person who was dear to us, a friend, a grandson, a cousin, an uncle, a brother, a son. A son is a father’s dream, and a mother’s treasure. This son has passed from this life and has returned to his Maker. He has claimed the promise of God that was given centuries ago: the promise that there would be no sting in death, and that the grave would have no victory. This day, this wonderful warm April day, we know that Brendan is in Heaven. He is at home now, in that mansion that Jesus spoke about when he said He would go and prepare a place for us.

MUSIC

“Amazing Grace” – Amazing Grace: Classic Hymns, Lifescapes, The Believer

EULOGY

On a warm April day in 1988, 6-year old Brendan Haney looked up at his mother and said “Mom, how do I know I’m going to Heaven?” His mother looked down at him and said, “All you have to do is believe in Jesus and you will go to Heaven.” Brendan said, “Are you sure? Is that all I have to do, Mom?” His mother said, again, “Yes, Brendan, that’s all you have to do.” “Are you sure?” “Yes.” Brendan then said, “Mom, I do believe in Jesus.”

On a warm April day in 2012, 30-year old Brendan Haney looked up from the grass, leaned on his side, a half-smile came to his face, a brief moment passed, the twinkling of an eye, and he was looking straight into the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. An enviable position. The ultimate trip. The event of a lifetime.

Brendan’s lifetime, his 30-year journey between the two eternities, began in New Iberia, Louisiana, where he spent his first four years. Then, times changed, people changed, lives changed, and he moved to Magnolia, Texas. The rest of his childhood days were surrounded by pine trees, grandparents, sports, nature, hunting, fishing, All Things Outdoors, the perfect boyhood setting. When adulthood came, it did not come easy for Brendan Haney. Adulthood does not come easy for the restless, for the dreamers, those free-spirits. They gaze at the horizon and feel its gentle tug, its yearning for a different theme, a another time. They find their way, and Brendan found his. When God called him home, it was swift and it was clean. One moment he was on his bike, on his way to work, and the next moment he was face-to-face with same Jesus he had believed in so many years ago.

And, thus, eternity began for Brendan Haney. He is on Day 6 of that eternity, if days really matter, and he has seen more beauty and felt more happiness in those 6 days than we can ever, ever imagine. All it took was the belief of a young boy to guarantee the eternal life of a young man. For God loved the world so much, that he gave His uniquely-born Son, so that whoever believes in Him will never die, but will have eternal life. Brendan got his eternal life; he got his front-row seat in Heaven. His soul is now safely tucked away beneath the wings of the Almighty God. Protected for eternity, Brendan is the essence of what we all seek to be: safe at home. After a hard day’s work, after a lifetime of hardscrabble, we all want very much to be safe at home. Safe at home, where God will wipe away all the tears from our eyes; where there will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more pain. Brendan’s human life measured up to the standard. He went home.

A human life like Brendan’s - like yours and like mine - is measured by the simple experiences of a single soul between birth and death. The value of that lifetime is not measured by works or deeds or accomplishments, for they will all be swept away by the winds of time as they turn to dust like so many forgotten dreams. The value of a lifetime is determined by a simple decision to believe in the Savior, the Messiah, Emmanuel, the Lord Jesus Christ. That single decision changes the entire direction of eternity, the same way Brendan changed his on that warm April day in 1988.

“Is that all I have to do, Mom?”

Yes, Brendan, that is all you had to do.

And you did it.

MUSIC

“Going Home” – Soundtrack, Gods and Generals

“Surely Sorrows shall find their end,

And all of our troubles will be gone.

And we’ll know what we’ve lost,

And all that we’ve won,

When this road finally takes us home.”

There were several friends and relatives who spoke at this point. Their words are still being gathered and will be included on this transcript very soon. At this point, the following eulogies are presented.

Elizabeth “Liz,” next-door neighbor

Spoke of her memories of Brendan. She knows he is going to be happy now.

Lindsey Nicole Shear (read by Jerrie Knox, Lindsey’s best friend)

My Dearest Brendan,

I love you so very much that words simply aren’t enough. I can’t believe that you are gone. I miss you. You were my sunshine, and your smile was simply the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. You could always light up a room when you smiled; you had the smile of an angel. You were such a precious gift to this world, to me, and to all of the people that loved you. Your spirit will forever live on in each of us. There isn’t a person or a thing in this world that could take your place, and you will always be alive in my heart. When I see the brightness of the sun as it rises in the morning, I think of your sweet face. When I see the beautiful calm and colors of the sunset, I think of you. When the stars shine at night, to me, they are shining for you. I always used to tell you that you were my heart, and you always will be. I am so sad that you are gone, but I am so happy that you are with the angels now. I wish I could see you just one more time, but I know that one day I will see you again in Heaven. And on that day, you will be smiling again. That million dollar smile, the smile that captured my heart. I love you Brendan, and I will live the rest of my life to honor you memory, and to honor all that you meant to me. I will never forget you. I will love you always. May the Lord bless you and keep you, and make His face to shine upon you. May He bathe you in His perfect light and love, and give you His perfect peace.

Love Always,

Lindsey

Wiley Lowe, maternal grandfather

Introduced his wife, Sue Lowe, Brendan’s grandmother. Spoke about how “BB,” his nickname for Brendan, bonded with her and she bonded with him. Introduced Morgan Lowe, Brendan’s cousin and “blood brother.” Referred to some of the pictures on the slideshow, and offered his memories, like duct-taping Brendan’s mouth when he talked too much at the deer lease.

Sue Lowe, maternal grandmother (read by Tom Smith)

Brendan Michael “BB” Haney, my beloved grandson, went instantly to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday April 24, 2012. He was always sweet and loving to me. I had the pleasure of being with him in his very young years. This formed a very strong bond and though he was taken so quickly, I have all the tender memories to cherish forever.

Grandma,

Susie Lowe

Kera Bell, step-sister

Though I did not have the opportunity to see Brendan in several years, from a distance I watched him grow from a teenage boy to a handsome young man, simply from the photos of him taken over the years that have always been proudly displayed throughout my father and step-mother's home. Even the walls in the guestroom are still a shade of blue that my step-mother calls, "Brendan blue"...it is a beautiful, bright shade of blue...like a brilliant turquoise sky.

Like my sister, Kyla, I know life in this world as an adult was not easy for Brendan. Often it is the most beautiful Souls that are the most delicate and fragile. The Lord calls these sweet Souls home when their struggles in this worldly life have made them weary, and it is time to rest...rest in the hands of God.

It is sad to see Brendan leave us...but I am deeply comforted knowing in my heart that my sister and my step-brother sit together in the great Heaven above, on grass of "Kyla green", under a sky of "Brendan blue".

Erin Lowe, cousin

When I first learned about my cousin’s death, I immediately tried to remember when was the last time I saw him, and couldn’t figure it out. After sifting through a million memories of him, I finally did, it was Christmas of 2010. Christmas of 2010! How had I gone more than a year without seeing my cousin? I wonder if he knew how much I cared about him? We were all close when we were younger; in fact that is where I have the most memories of him. I remember learning how he used to go find four-leaf clovers and had a 4X5 photo album full of them; I thought that was the coolest thing! I tried it, but didn’t have the patience for it; I always wondered how he did. I know he had his problems, but I never doubted for once that he wouldn’t come out of them. He was a good person and had a big heart. I knew if I ever needed him he would be there in a heartbeat. I loved my cousin; I hope he knew that. I am sure he does now, because I know he is here with us and now lives in a happier place, with no more pain, self-doubt, or suffering.

Random memories (not all of them, but a couple of the most memorable):

*Brendan and Morgan getting a kick in the butt from Grandpa for doing something wrong, and me just getting a “Puddin, don’t do that again.” They always hated that!

*Everyone fighting over Brendan’s room, because he had the best bed.

*All the Easter egg hunts, slides for live and trips to the trestle.

*The time we were at the deer lease and Morgan and Brendan stayed in the main house and drank all night (more their memory than mine, but I was there and remember them getting into trouble).

*Whenever Brendan took his father’s truck and drove to our house to get Morgan.

*Going to stay at Brendan and Lindsey’s apartment. First time I had slept on a leather couch and hated it!

Decided I would never have one. Hemi was a kitten.

*How much cash loved him.

*How the song “Santa Monica” by Everclear reminds me of him. I think that was before I liked alternative and it was the song he liked at the time.

*Him coming out to Morgan’s house to hang out and drink. One specific time was for Christine’s birthday. We sat around the coffee table playing waterfall. It was Morgan, Christine, John, Brendan, Laura, Steve, Sheiva, Steven, and Brittany and Jesse.

*Telling us stories about him and Lindsey, their many dating and drinking dilemmas.

Garry Lowe, uncle

Said he had a lot of memories of Brendan, when he was younger. He and Brendan used to do a lot of fishing, both down at the creek and at the coast. His memories include:

- He gave Brendan one of his Airborne T-shirts that he liked, a maroon one with wings and a skull. Soon after. Brendan’s mother called him and told him Brendan wore it to school and got into trouble;

- Brendan won the fishing contest at The Fish Pond by catching the biggest catfish ever caught at that time, an 8-pounder;

- He took Brendan hunting one time and put them in separate deer stands; he soon heard Brendan singing at the top of his lungs; he walked over to Brendan’s deer stand and asked him why he was singing; Brendan said “We’ll, I guess I was happy.”

Mariam Hejazi, cousin

"Do not lament growing old, for it is a privilege that is often denied to many."

"I swear to you, there are divine things words cannot describe."

-Walt Whitman

"The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart,

Devout men are taken away, while no one understands.

For the righteous man is taken away from evil.

He enters into peace.

They rest in their beds,

Each one who walked in their upright way."

Isaiah 57:1-2

The memories that I cherish are:

Brendan’s iRock Camaro

How I was always too little and young to play with the boys growing up.

Throwing fire crackers into Grandma's pond on the lily pads.

Easter egg hunts.

Elizabeth “Liz,” next-door neighbor

Spoke a second time about her memories of Brendan. She talked about the first time she met him; he showed her his favorite fishing pond; she went back their often; she is going back there today.