Brenda Sue Van Ness

Brenda Van Ness, 61, of Stillwater, passed away April 13, 2021 at Stillwater Medical Center. A Celebration of Brenda's life will be held on Saturday, June 19, 2021 at 12PM at Dighton-Marler Funeral Home, Stillwater.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Dighton-Marler Funeral Home of Stillwater.
Brenda was born April 26, 1959 in Hornersville, Missouri, the daughter of Lorenzo and Alfredia Edmonston Kennedy. She grew up in the Springfield, Missouri area and graduated with the Class of 1977 at Willard (Mo.) High School. She continued her education with some college at Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State) University.

She married William “Bill” Van Ness on July 8, 1978 in Springfield, Missouri. She enjoyed her family, doing newspaper and Jumble word searches, and as a member of the Stillwater Jehovahs Witnesses she was strong in her faith. She was a St. Louis Cardinals fan, a reader, loved horses, owls, and flowers and liked Barry Manilow and George Strait music. She was employed for Shepherds Convenience store in Stillwater for 12 years and at OnCue Convenience stores in Stillwater for eight years before that.

Survivors include her husband of the home; two sons, William Van Ness, Stillwater, and Benjamin Van Ness and his wife Stormi, Stillwater; and one daughter, Stacy Higgins and her husband Levi, Stillwater; her mother, Alfredia Kennedy of Springfield, MO; three grandchildren, Jett Van Ness. Darcy Van Ness and Magnolia Van Ness; and her siblings, James Edmonston and wife Shirley, Sullivan, Missouri; Linda Richardson, Willard, Missouri; Janice Kennedy and husband Steve, Kansas City, Missouri; and Shirley Cron and husband David, Springfield, Missouri.

She was preceded in death by her father, Lorenzo Kennedy, and one sister, Sheila Foland. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation in c/o Dighton-Marler Funeral Home, 5106 N. Washington St., Stillwater, Oklahoma 74075.
Condolences may be sent to the family via an online guestbook at www.dightonmarler.com