Brenda Badger - Ryan

 Brenda Jeanne Badger was born in East Harlem’s Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY on June 27, 1968. She was the fourth child born through the union of her parents Charles J. Badger and Jacqueline Webster Badger who proceeded her in death. 

Being raised in a Christian household, Brenda loved the Lord. She gave her heart and soul to the Lord Jesus Christ as a teen. She attended Greater Refuge Temple, Church of Resurrection (baptized) and Refreshing Springs Church here in Schenectady. Brenda was instrumental in ushering close friends and relatives near the end of their lives to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior before leaving this earth. She made the Lord smile.

Brenda Jeanne transitioned on June 17th, 2024. She was surrounded by loved ones. Her husband David who never left her side, not once. Juanita her sister and her daughter Chelea who also was her nurse. Chelsea provided her mother with excellent care, compassion and comfort fit for a Queen.

Brenda Jeanne was educated in the New York City school system. After completing her education at the High school for Humanities, she went on to become a certified bookkeeper. Her competence in bookkeeping provided her employment at RCA records/BMG music for 17 years. She then became a certified graphic designer from Parson’s School of Design. Brenda was fearless in her endeavors and started her own business “Design-N-Stuff.” She was infamous for designing personalized party favors, banners, buttons and t-shirts. 

She moved to Schenectady and landed a job at New Choices Recovery where she met her future husband. She then secured a position at Create Better Community Neighborhoods where she took pleasure in serving people. Utilizing her writing skills, she became proficient at writing federal grants used to obtain funds for those to help maintain their homes and for those close to losing their homes. She taught financial literacy to those who wanted to learn. Brenda proudly served the city of Schenectady for ten years.

 Brenda Jeanne also had a gift for writing. She wrote a few books and while some were self-published, others still sit on a thumb drive in a drawer somewhere. Her best written and graphically designed work of art was the book she made for her grandchildren. Brenda also lovingly known as Aunt Bennie was the favorite aunt of all her nieces and nephews. She was the life of the party at every family function. She was truly the master of humor and jokes.

A few years ago, Brenda took great pride in her 3 minutes of fame when she appeared in the movie “Dear Mr. Brody” along with her sisters honoring their late mother after she wrote a letter to a millionaire in 1970s.

Heartbroken: Brenda Jeanne leaves to mourn her beloved husband David Ryan, her children Owen Joshua Christian (Jamie) and Chelsea Rae Smith (Sha-king), Darya Marie her stepdaughter, her siblings Juanita Grace Badger (Jarrell), Jacqueline Elizabeth Badger-Jackson (Todd), Dr. Charles J Badger (Tawnya), Keisha (Martin), her five grandchildren: Liam Jacob, Divinity Marie, Eden Grace, Cylus Ethan and Emory Riley Rae. Also in mourning are her nephews Jarrell Juante, Christopher, Jarron LeRoy, Joseph (Joey) Todd, Julian Tyler, Dexter Richard, nieces Jeannette Greene, Ashley Simone and Jacqueline Elizabeth. The mourning continues with her sister-in-law Tasha, brother in laws Edward and Kevin Ryan (April), her aunts Agnes Badger and Jean Smith, Eleanor Hughes (her children’s grandmother), and Owen Christian (father of her children) and a host of cousins and other family members. She leaves her three childhood besties: Terry Quinones, Audrey (Boobie) Bullard and Shirley Salgado. Lastly, we can’t forget her fur baby Harper aka piggy.

Brenda wouldn’t want anyone to stay in a mourning state of mind, but to know that she is in a better place and will always be looking out from above. Brenda shined and excelled in anything that she touched, the people she interacted with, the places she helped restore, and worked tirelessly during complex situations and those with stubborn hearts. It hurts to the core each moment that I am reminded that she is not here, but we should be honored that we had a chance to experience her hardcore love, her impressive and crazy sense of humor, her overprotectiveness, her stubbornness, her smile, her laugh and the insistence on being called “Just Brenda”. 

With love……The family!

Memorial services will be held on June 27, 2024 at 4 PM in the Refreshing Springs Community Church 327 Georgetta Dix Blvd., Schenectady, NY 12307.