Obituary of Brenda Jean Brenay

It is with great sorrow and bittersweet gratitude that the family of Brenda Jean Brenay announce the passing of our kind, brave, caring, and unimaginably generous wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.  Brenda passed peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family and her dearest best friend on March 17, 2025 at the age of 75. 

Brenda Jean (Barriger) was born in Bay City, Michigan on January 28, 1950, to Ruth Barriger (May) and Melvin Barriger who proceeded her in death. She was raised with her three loving siblings who survive her today: Gail (Jack) Kelly, Howard (Jeanie) Barriger, and Julie (Mark) Korn.  In 1968, Brenda graduated from Bay City Handy High School. She dedicated her life to helping others and began that journey when she became a practicing Iridologist and Reflexologist while raising her three young children.  In 1985, she found the love of her life, and on July 2, 1986, she married her soulmate Gary Allen Brenay, also from Bay City.  Brenda and Gary blended their two families together and went on to raise their six children together with patience, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to unconditional love.  Brenda continued her dedication to helping others when she obtained her PhD in Clinical Nutrition.  She served countless numbers of friends, family, and strangers on their health and well-being journeys and was a driving force in helping others discover how to live a healthy life. 

Brenda was a constant seeker of knowledge and deeper understanding and spent many years studying different religions, cosmology, and spiritual science.  She believed that spirituality meant living a life in service to others with kindness and love in your heart. 

She loved nature, TV shows on Bigfoot and aliens, delicious food, The Beatles and Leonard Cohen, White Russians, and above all else, her family. Her departure leaves an unfillable void in their lives, yet they are eternally grateful for their memories and the everlasting love they were blessed to share with her.  She is survived by her husband, Gary Brenay of Saginaw, her son Micah McCoon (Liz Cassaw) of Tacoma Washington, her daughters Keilah McCoon-Jacot (Kevin) of Rockford, Michigan and Leah Snoblen (Scott) of Saginaw, Michigan; as well as her stepchildren Michelle Furci (Brenay) of Sarasota, Florida, Matthew Brenay (Tammy) of Midland, Michigan, and Micheal Brenay (Julie) of Grand Haven, Michigan. 

Above all else, Brenda’s greatest joy came from being a Mimi and Grandmother.  She was a beacon of kindness and love and will forever reside in her grandchildren’s hearts.  She is survived by her 9 grandchildren: Jeton Jacot (Kevin & Keilah Jacot), Harper &Hayes Snoblen (Scott & Leah Snoblen), Devon & Collin Brenay, Ashley Noble, Tiffany Keillor (Matthew & Tammy Brenay), and Jacob & Samantha Brenay (Micheal & Julie Brenay).  As they grapple with the loss of her physical presence, her grandchildren will continue to find solace in her spirit that lives on and the love she instilled in them.  They will forever miss their Mimi/Grandma and love her to the moon and back.

Brenda’s lifetime best friend, Brenda Brock of Bay City, Michigan, was by her side until the very end.  It is with unmeasurable gratitude that we thank Brenda for her dedication and friendship to our beloved wife, mother, and Mimi and for her presence during the best and worst times.  Together, the Brendas exemplified what it meant to be a true friend to one another. 

A celebration of Brenda’s life will be forthcoming in late Spring/early Summer.  Further information on date, time, and location will be provided in the coming months.  As an expression of sympathy, friends and family can choose to make a donation in Brenda’s name to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which Brenda and Gary have graciously supported themselves.  Ways to Give: How to Donate - St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

To sign online guestbook, visit www.cremationsocietymidmi.com Arrangements made with Cremation Society of Mid-Michigan.