Brenda Jean Harmon

Brenda Jean Dillon Harmon (1953-2022) – Eulogy
Good morning and welcome.
We are here today to celebrate someone we all loved … Brenda Harmon.
My name is Elveta … not that that is all that important. I had the pleasure of being counted among Brenda’s many lifelong friends, AND I am proud to be the one to share with all of you the story of Brenda’s “dash. I’m sure you have all heard that long ago tale about how a gravestone has the day you were born and the day you were died engraved upon it … and all that’s there to reflect the life you lived on this earth is the “dash.”
What’s true is that God didn’t’ promise days without pain,
laughter without sorrow, or sun without rain, but He did
promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and
light for the way.
When Brenda found Carl (or he found her according to the stories I’ve been told), she found a life partner who adored and honored her. His devotion, care, and attention for her could only be adequately described by the authors of love stories and sonnets. Carl was by Brenda’s side until she passed peacefully into the loving arms of her loving Savior on Monday, May 23, 2022. She was 69 years old. She was surrounded by people who adored her (her daughter, Heather; her grandson, Walker; and her dear friend from Oklahoma, Carrie Osburn … AND … she was at home in her chair …able to watch her birds … and not in some sterile, far away hospital. She was at peace with meeting her Lord …
Brenda was a courageous warrior in an unwinnable battle, but like the ancient Spartans of Greece, no matter how loyal and disciplined in the war she endured against unbeatable odds, Brenda ultimately lost the fight.
The beginning …
Brenda Jean Dillon Harmon was born March 23, 1953, in Las Animas, Colorado, to Marvin E. Dillon, her birth father (born Jan 5, 1930, and died in 1997 in Springfield, CO) and Carole Freeman Dillon Schick (born June 20, 1933, and passed away on June 7, 1991, in Lamar, CO). After her mother, Carole remarried on November 7, 1955,Brenda was reared by her mother and stepfather, Edwin R. Schick (born February 9, 1921, and passed away March 16,1992). Brenda returned to Lamar to care for her stepfather during his fight with lung cancer.
Brenda’s early life
Brenda was the eldest of 2 children. Her baby brother survives her: David Ed Schick (born January 29, 1956, married to Cindy Lou Friezen is here with us today. They live in Bunker Hill, Illinois. The family lived on a farm north of Lamar, Colorado, in May Valley. The family farmed, raising primarily wheat, milo, and alfalfa. They raised hogs and cattle for both food and to sell. Brenda’s main role on the farm was to keep her baby brother out of mischief and take care of the girl stuff: like cooking & cleaning. Straight from the mouth of that self-same baby brother. She and Dave rode the school bus to school in Lamar where Brenda graduated high school in 1971. The Schick family always had a big garden and canned their own food. Those of us who grew up in this part of the world know the farm rule and expectations for ensuring there was always food being grown and prepared … it was part of life’s cycle of life in the prairie … where people grow up rooted in their faith, grounded on the land, and resilient in life.
Brenda as wife, mother, and grandmother…
Brenda’s greatest accomplishments were her loving marriage, her daughter, her grandchildren, and her new great granddaughter. Brenda married her first husband, Donald “Donnie” Ward Piper, born 9/17/52. Donnie still lives in Holly, CO. They had one daughter,  Heather Trinity Piper (born 3/4/1974 in Denver, CO). Heather married her first husband, Joseph Everett Anthony (born 10/26/1976 in Amarillo, TX) on 3/4/1995 (her 21st birthday). Together they had 3 beautiful children: The children are here with us today,  Taylor Lynn Anthony (born 3/10/1996 was born in Lamar, Co). Brooke Ashley Anthony (born 8/5/1998 was born in Wichita, KS) and Walker Joe Anthony (born June 8/2000 was born in Wichita, KS).
Heather currently lives in Montrose, Colorado, with her fiancé, Daniel Mundt.
Grandchildren
Before I share what her grandkids had to say about who Brenda was for them … I want to share briefly what the role of a grandmother is in the lives of her grandchildren:

grammas are part parent
part best friend
part partner in crime AND
always, always the person who loves you totally and completely … even when you don’t
deserve it.
Brenda understood this job description completely. She excelled … particularly in the “partner in crime” part of her role. For example: no movie was complete without popcorn … but not just popcorn … it had to have tootsie rolls in it. The kids would say they have fond memories of good food, summer fun, and road trips with "Gramma." She was always fun and they never doubted her love for them for even one instant. Taylor got a Bachelors’ degree at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK. She currently lives in Grand Junction, CO, and works in information technolog and graphic design. From Taylor: “I think my fondest memory is making cherry pie crust with Grandma. She showed me how to make a lattice top, so we could see the filling underneath. The kitchen was warm and smelled like baked bread. She thought it was funny that I was covered in flour, I was much younger then. I’ll always treasure the time I shared with Gramma. “

Brooke is in nursing school. She recently gave birth to her daughter with fiancé, Cole Hamilton. They live in Fort Gibson, OK. Brenda’s great granddaughter Coletta Jean Hamilton was born on March 12, 2022. Brenda got to meet and hold her great granddaughter on the weekend the family gathered together in Colorado Springs to smother Brenda with their love and say their goodbyes. From Brooke: “My favorite memory is grandma always making us popcorn every night we stayed over. We always got to stay up and watch movies.”

Walker recently completed his education and has become a licensed massage therapist. He also lives in Grand Junction, CO From Walker: “I loved her gardens and getting lost in her little knickknacks when I was little, and when we played any of her board-games or put together puzzles. She made everything fun. And she showed me FarmVille.”

The second time around …
Meanwhile …back in 1996, Brenda married her “Prince Charming” Carl Ray Harmon (born 10/2/1954) on June 29th at the Baptist Chapel here in Springfield, CO. Carl has one daughter (from a previous marriage) and 2 grandchildren: Andrea Michelle Harmon Keenan (born on 10/14/1983) and her husband Steve Keenan, have 2 sons: Kaden Casey Keenan (born 8/13/2003) who just graduated from HS and Gavin Lane Keenan (born
10/23/2006).

Brenda as a friend
It’s hard to capture who Brenda was for all of us who counted her among our dearest friends. That is a very long list of folks. Those lifelong friends
from her childhood love her still … some of them are here with us today … and those who could NOT be here have sent their love and best wishes from all over the country. She was much loved. [From left to right] The people from LHS (class of 1970) Marilyn Gylling along with classmates from the class of1971 Pauline Atkinson (from Denver), Beverly Haggard (Lamar), Deb Evans (Wiley), Debbi Chambers (from Canon City), Sharon Thomas Peasall (Kansas), Rose Marie Axelson (Denver area), and me (from Albuquerque) are proud to count ourselves among her friends. The people from Oklahoma, like Carrie and Texas, like Toni Mayher. The people who couldn’t be here but still sent their love and prayers from all over
the country. Brenda’s reach was far and wide. I’m not sure she ever met anybody she didn’t like … or that didn’t come to count her among their friends. Her smile that could light up a room. Her laugh that was music to the ears of those who loved her. She laughed easily and often. Most of us don’t laugh often enough.

What I can say without any hesitation is …
As a friend, Brenda was a constant in an everchanging world.
These are samples of the comments I got from her other friends when I asked them for input …
• Brenda was a special friend who always stayed in touch over the many years we’d
known each other.
• Her heart was beautiful and full of love. She will be dearly missed.
• Brenda always had a smile.
• Brenda was always happy.
• Brenda’s glass wasn’t just half full; it was running over with love and blessings …  Her
love will always be the flowers within me.
• She made her time on earth special with the generosity of her caring.
• Brenda was courageous in the face of adversity, but never played the role of victim. I’ll
always admire that about her.
• Brenda was a friend to everyone.
• Her beautiful smile could light up a room … and you never saw her without that smile.
• Brenda loved everybody and everybody loved her.

Brenda’s passions and interests …
Heather shared a story about one of Brenda’s most recent “road trip.” They escaped from the Lamar nursing home where Brenda had been staying while she was getting her dialysis treatments and drove out north of Lamar to the Alta Vista elementary school where Brenda had gone to school as a child. On the way they stopped by this little “drive through” coffee shop and got Brenda her first ever expresso. Well, if you’ve never had an espresso, you wouldn’t know this, but expresso is like running electricity through your veins. It’s an immediate caffeine high. It’s great … Brenda LOVED it and talked about it for weeks. Something like that drive pleased her so much and turned a drive out north into a grand adventure. They laughed and giggled until they almost peed themselves . It was a memory to cherish and treasure. A particularly lovely part of that day trip … was
something Brenda said in passing as they passed a freshly harvested corn field. There was ONE LONE STALK standing in the corner of that field.
Brenda smiled and turned to Heather, “there is the perfect corn maze for Biden.” What a sense of humor … what a wonderful, glorious opportunity to laugh and laugh together.
Brenda LOVED road trips … she turned every trip (no matter how long or short) into an adventure. She absolutely saw all of life as an adventure …
Brenda’s favorite holiday was Christmas. If Carl hadn’t objected, there likely would have been a tree up year-round. Anybody who ever came to her home or who was friends with her on Facebook knew that Brenda was an amazing gardener. She made turning a yard into something beautiful and filled with flowers look easy. She had an ulterior motive … she loved watching birds … and birds of every size and shape would frequent her beautiful gardens … be they in Oklahoma or Colorado or any of the other places she lived over the course of her life. AND those birds came to say their goodbyes when it mattered most.
Brenda’s work life …
Brenda attended Lamar Community College for a short time before she got married to Donnie. Then they moved to Denver … where she worked in advertising for Woolworth … and a few other jobs. She never really cared that much about having a career. She would do whatever work presented itself … and enjoyed whatever she did. People were what mattered to Brenda; not what she did to pay the bills.
Earlier this week, one of Brenda’s friends (Deb Chambers, who just happens to be an amazing photographer) captured one of the most amazing sunsets I’ve seen in a very long time. It was filled with every color imaginable … it was exquisite. She dedicated it to Brenda … the photo is
filled with soft, gentle colors … some pastels, some bold … That photo did capture who Brenda was for us … she truly brightened all our lives with her gentle and loving way … her presence on this planet will be greatly missed. In the comments that followed the photo dedication, there
was an outpouring of love that made me weep … all of it true. In that same picture there is a lonely country road in the foreground that reminded me of one of Carole King’s songs from the 70s when we were young, beautiful, and filled with promise …you may remember it …
Way over yonder
Is a place that I know
Where we can find shelter
From hunger and cold
And the sweet tastin' good life
Is so easily found
A way over yonder, that's where she’s bound …
I know when she gets there
The first thing she'll see
Is the sun shining golden
Shining right down on her
Then trouble's gonna lose her…
Worry leave her behind
And she'll stand up proudly …
with true peace of mind

Brenda led an interesting life. An adventure … we all hold a special place in our hearts for her. Brenda was a lover of all things beautiful in God's world... She was a seeker of peace, laughter, and adventure.I believe she would say: Don't cry for me now; smile and know that my adventure continues.