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Brenda Kay Reed

Brenda Kay Reed, 79, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, entered eternal rest with her angels on November 3, 2024, surrounded by family. She was born on September 12, 1945, to James and Stella Tanksley in Salem, Indiana. Brenda found joy in the everyday moments that many might overlook. She loved sitting on her front porch, watching the birds gather at her feeders, and was always eager to check the mail for her neighbors—a small but significant act that showed her big heart. She had a natural gift
for conversation and could often be found chatting with her brother, sister, cousin, daughter-in-law, granddaughter, sons, friends, and neighbors on the phone, always taking the time to catch up and share a laugh. A chatty cathy to say the least, but such an amazing listener. She never judged and always had an open door for anyone who needed to feel loved or heard, even when she was struggling herself. An avid gardener, Brenda spent countless hours tending to her beloved flower gardens, proudly cultivating rose of sharon flowers, irises, and tulips. She took immense pride in her outdoor
spaces and would often be found pulling weeds, ensuring every inch was cared for. She also enjoyed digging for yellow root and ginseng, embracing the beauty of nature with her hands in the earth. When she wasn’t outside in her garden, she took immense joy in building puzzles. She loved spending hours filling her dining room table with the patchwork of pieces, but only 1000 piece puzzles would suffice, any smaller, they weren’t challenging enough, any bigger they wouldn’t fit her table.
Brenda had a special bond with her grandchildren, spending time playing on the floor creating with play-doh, coloring books, and toy trucks. Her home was always full of love and laughter.
In her younger years, Brenda was known for cooking comforting family meals, a tradition she cherished deeply. She took pleasure in preparing dishes that brought people together, often around the dinner table, where stories were shared and memories were made. When it came to her personal comforts, Brenda had a fondness for warm, fuzzy socks, soft blankets, and cozy gowns.
She enjoyed the simple luxury of making her home a place of peace and beauty, even down to making her bed up beautifully on a daily basis. She also had a fondness for teapots and could often be found sipping tea with a slice of lemon—just the way she liked it.
Brenda's life was a testament to the joy found in the small, everyday moments, and her legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew her.
Brenda is preceded in death by her parents, Stella and James Rollie Tanksley; foster parents, Arthur and Alberta Gray; 7 siblings, Richard Dean Tanksley, Roger Tanksley, James Tanksley, Joann Kitzero, Shirley Kilburn, Elvin Gray, and Loren Gray; her grandson, Danny Lee Sill II; and
1 cousin Maxine Wheeler.
Left to cherish her memory, Brenda is survived by 2 sons, Brian Sill (Joy), and Danny Sill (Mary); 9 grandchildren, Brandon Sill, Kendra Sill, Ashley McKim (Nathan), Kenneth Wilson (Jessica), Jonathan Wilson, Troy Wilson (Sharayah), Billy Wilson, Chrystle Felts-Nieft (Brian) and Desiree Ziemer (Claye); 3 siblings, JC Chastain, Patty Kirby Sharp (Jim), Gerald Gray
(Margaret); 1 cousin, Randall Robinson; 25 great-grandchildren, and a host of extended family and close friends.
A funeral service for Mrs. Brenda Reed will be held at 1 PM on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at Dawalt Funeral Home, 204 E. Market Street, Salem, Indiana. Visitation will be held from 9 AM to 1 PM at the funeral home, prior to the service. Burial at Hop Cemetery, in Campbellsburg,
Indiana will follow the funeral service. Following the burial at Hop Cemetery, there will be a celebration of life held at Salem Agape Ministries located at 1002 Lee Street, Salem, Indiana.