Mrs. Brenda O. Martin

Brenda Owens Martin was born on August 17, 1952 to the late Ruth Owens Beckwith of Queens, New York. She was the oldest of two daughters. She departed this earthly journey on March 24, 2021.

Brenda was educated in the public schools of Queens, New York for a short time and in the public schools of Richland County, South Carolina for the remaining school years. She was a graduate of C.A. Johnson High School, Class of 1970. She established her career as a Telephone Operator and Union Representative for CWA (Communication Workers of America) 3706. She retired from AT&T after over 25 years of service.

While in Columbia, South Carolina, Brenda was raised by her mother’s sister and her husband, Thelma and Rufus McQueen. There she grew up with their children, Unyolia, Donnell, Charles and Timothy and loved them more as siblings than first cousins.

Brenda met and married the love of her life, Kerry Darnell Martin, in Columbia, South Carolina and they remained devoted to each other for 49 years. She deeply loved everyone in both her family and her husband’s family. There is no one she loved more than her sister, Debvra and Debvra’s children, Chandra, Charles and Tremaine and Debvra’s granddaughter, Zion. Although Brenda had no biological children, her sister’s children were like her own.

Some people live a lifetime and never have a true friend to confide in and share their deepest concerns, joys, sadness, and affections. This was not the situation with Brenda. She was a part of a lunch group consisting of her four most dependable and loving friends, Freda Nelson, Vivian Mitchell, Cynthia Goines, and Gloria Weston. They prayed together and could always count on each other to be there during the good and bad times. To know Brenda was to love her.

Brenda leaves to cherish her precious memory her husband, Kerry Darnell Martin; one sister, Debvra D. Beckwith; one niece, Chandra A. Worrell; two nephews, Charles C. Worrell, III and Tremaine M. Worrell; one grandniece, Zion Worrell of Queens, NY; one uncle, Willie (Barbara) Owens of St. Albans, NY; cousins raised as siblings, Unyolia M. (Robert) Coleman, Larry D. (Barbara) McQueen, Rufus C. (Cathy) McQueen and Timothy McQueen; and a host of loving relatives, great friends, and wonderful neighbors.

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