Brenda Jo Charles' Obituary
Brenda Jo Charles, age 69, met her Lord and Savior on Thursday, July 15, 2021. She was born on July 6, 1952 to Daniel and Carolyn (DeLong) Yerkie Sr. in Muskegon, MI. She graduated from Muskegon High School and attended Western Michigan University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in education. She used her degree to pursue teaching in her later years mostly in Michigan. In her earlier years, she worked for numerous years as a bank teller for various locations in the Muskegon area. She married the love of her life, Rick Charles on December 30, 1978 at the Crestwood United Methodist Church in Muskegon, MI. Together they cherished 42 years of marriage filled with love and laughter. Brenda was an adventurous woman who loved to travel all around the U.S. She and Rick visited places such as Wisconsin, Colorado, Indiana, Texas, the UP in Michigan and also Louisiana. She enjoyed reading and was interested in the theater life and going to plays. She was gifted with a green thumb and had quite the knack for gardening. Above all things, she truly loved spending time with her family. Brenda was a proud mother who truly enjoyed showering her children with her love. She will always be remembered as a devoted wife, loving mother, wonderful grandmother and dear friend to so many. Brenda matured at the early age of 8, due to the loss of her mother and was a courageous and friendly spirit that will be missed by all who knew her. She is survived by her loving husband, Rick Charles; 2 children, Laura (Bill) Appleton and Philip (Shelbi) Charles; grandson, Bennett Charles; 2 brothers, Daniel (Carla) Yerkie and Mark (Cindy) Yerkie; and mother-in-law, Jean (Cogar) Charles. She was preceded in death by her parents, Daniel Yerkie Sr and Carolyn Yerkie; father-in-law, Darrel Charles; and dear friend of many years, Dawn Ashcroft. A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, July 23, 2021 at The Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services, 6291 S. Harvey St., Norton Shores, MI 49444. A visitation with the family will be held one-hour prior. Brenda will be laid to rest with her parents at Oakwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Brenda’s honor can be made direct to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, [https://give.cff.org/tribute/bcharles]. Share memories with the family at www.sytsemafh.com.
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