April 9, 1949 - July 16, 2024
Brenda Lorraine Martin [nee Stoneburgh], 75, of Hope, BC passed away on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, from battling a severe bout of aspirated pneumonia after living with dementia for several years.
Brenda was born in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada on April 9th, 1949 to George Stoneburgh and Anita Stoneburgh [nee Farthing]; the second oldest daughter of 12 children, she maintained relationships with all her siblings throughout her life and
often invited them for holidays with her.
She was a wife to Bill Martin, a friend to many, a sister, a mother to four children —Shayne Wilson, Mike Wilson, Amber (Alan) Anderson and Sirena (James) Van Schaik and a loving grandmother to 11, including Sasha, Tylor, and Brandon (Amber); Zen, Carrie, and Cadence (Shayne), Ryan, Christopher, and Arron (Mike), Phoebe and Michael (Sirena). She
adopted her granddaughter Carrie at birth and loved travelling with her, including trips to Hawaii and Florida.
She loved decorating cakes and became a talented decorator in retirement where she decorated cakes and cupcakes for friends, family and school events alike. She enjoyed travelling and loved decorating, and redecorating her home. She was an avid animal lover, and she had a special connection with Christmas. She looked forward to it all year and would start pulling out all the decorations in October, finishing sometime just before Christmas...her house filled with the laughter and happiness those Christmas decorations brought her.
She was larger than life in so many ways and left a lasting impression on all those who loved her. Brenda was deeply loved throughout her life by everyone who met her with her infectious laughter as her blue eyes twinkled with mischief with every joke or story that she told. She was hardworking and had the heart of an entrepreneur as she ran several successful restaurants including The Best Cafés in 100 Mile House and Port Kells, Cornerstone Café in Surrey, and Oma's Kitchen in Hope, along with an arcade named Brenda's Starcade in 100 Mile House. She loved country music and delighted in her nickname of "Dolly" due to her resemblance to the famed country singer.
Brenda is preceded in death by her parents and siblings: Wendal, Steve, Carol, and Barry. She is survived by her husband Bill, her children, grandchildren, siblings: Vicky, Debbie, Jackie, Alan, Doug, Tim, and Ken, and her many nieces and nephews along with their children.
She was loved and will remain loved by those who knew her.
We will miss you mom, now and forever.