Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Brenda Merrill

Maryellen sent me a link to the obituary for Brenda Merrill Jacobsen who passed away this week. As you may know, she is Fred's sister and graduated a year ahead of us. I'm sorry to be posting so many obituaries lately, but I know that everyone would like to know about these events, as sad as they may be.

Thanks,

-Lee


Brenda Jacobsen (nee Merrill), of Oakland, passed away Monday, July 7, surrounded by her family after a courageous year-long battle with cancer. She was 50 years old. Brenda was born January 2, 1958 in Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania and moved to New Jersey in 1980. She is survived by her husband and best friend Michael Jacobsen, and her kind and caring legacy lives on in her three children – Kevin (24), Keith (22) and Colleen (19), all of Oakland. Brenda is the devoted daughter of Rosemary Merrill of Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, and the late Fred Merrill, Jr. She is the loving sister of Fred Merrill III, of Martinez, Georgia; Jane Puckett, of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania; and Larry Merrill, of North Hampton, New Hampshire. She will be greatly missed by her faithful furry friend Lucky, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.

Brenda graduated from Bishop O'Reilly High School in Kingston, Pennsylvania in 1976 and from Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work. She was employed as an advocate for the Center for Food Action in Elmwood Park, and also as a research assistant for Jacor Publications, a family-owned publishing business. She was extremely active in volunteer efforts and is a past president of the Dogwood Hill School PTA, was a member of the Oakland Mothers' Club and was a long-time assistant recreation soccer commissioner. Brenda was a Eucharistic Minister at Our Lady Of Perpetual Help in Oakland and a member of the parish's Homeless Overflow Shelter. Upon her peaceful passing, Heaven is no longer missing an angel. Visitation will be held at Oakland Memorial Home, Ramapo Valley Road, Oakland, on Wednesday, July 9, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Because of renovations at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a funeral service will be held at Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Franklin Lakes, at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 10, followed by internment at Redeemer Cemetery in Mahwah. Donations in Brenda's memory may be sent to the Center for Food Action, 21 Church Street, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407; 201-703-9857; www.cfanj.org .

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