Obituary: Brenda A. Richard

Brenda A. Richard of Sanford died suddenly in her home on Thursday, January 12, 2023. Brenda was born to John and Barbara Jean Jellerson on February 17, 1955. She attended and graduated from Sanford High School. She married at age 17 to Raymond Richard and had four boys together. She was a lifelong stay-at-home Mom to her four boys and all of their friends.

It’s no secret that her favorite thing in life was her family, but beyond that she truly enjoyed many other things. Among those was her home where she loved to cook some of the best food for family and friends. Every holiday was nothing short of amazing. Thanksgiving turkey with her homemade stuffing and all the traditional fixings and of course….the biggest pot of mashed potatoes. Christmas cookies, spiral ham, twice baked potatoes and tables full of yummy treats. When not cooking at home, Mother’s Day feasts at Ted’s Fried Clams were among her favorite meals.

Brenda had a green thumb and cherished her flower garden with roses, lilacs, sunflowers and many others. She loved to feed the birds and all the other critters and made sure to take care of them during a good snow storm. Brenda had multiple cats her whole life, and sometimes too many, but she always had more than enough love to give to all of them. Some of the happiest times in her life were spent at her camp, in nature, feeding chipmunks from her hand.

Brenda never gathered much of monetary value, and as long as she had what she needed that was enough for her to be happy. What she did gather over the years were memories and stories that she loved to tell every time you’d pass by a place that held one of these tales.

Above and beyond those things, what she loved most were her boys, grandchildren, friends and her cats. Brenda is survived by her sons Michael, Peter, Nathaniel, and Benjamin. Her grandchildren Devin, Emma, Brady, Rose, Audrey, and Wyatt. She has two surviving brothers Jonathan and Terry. And too many “adopted” children to name but you all know who you are. She was predeceased by her brother Kevin.

A celebration of her life will be held at the Sanford Unitarian Universalist Church on Friday, February 17, 2023 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.

Brenda is pictured below with Grandmother Ada Jellerson, Dad John Jellerson, son Peter Richard and grandson Devin Richard.