Brenda Phillips Schweida Bloxom

Brenda Phillips and I were best friends throughout most of my high school years. 
We actually met in May of 1966 when we both made the JV Flag twirling Squad. 
She was a year ahead of me in school – but that didn’t matter to her. 
We got to know each other that summer with practices and with the band.   

When school started that year, we did practically everything  together. 
I spent a lot of time at her house.  Her house always seemed much better than mine! 
Her parents were wonderful people, especially her mother. 
She always treated me like one of the family.

Through the next couple of years we went to basketball games, football games, and dances. 
We liked boys who were brothers and did some double dating. 
We gave each other advice about boys.
We spent summers at the beach, amusement park and movies. 
We laughed and we cried together.  Brenda was such a fun person!

I was with Brenda the night she realized who “the love of her life was”!!  She later married him. 
John and my boyfriend were best friends, so the four of us spent a lot of time together. 
It was very sad when John was killed. 
There were so many people at the funeral to support Brenda and her family and John’s. 
 I know she appreciated that.

Brenda was a very special person to me. 
She was more than a friend.  I could always count on her. 
She was there for me when I felt like no one else was.  
She was quiet until you got to know her and had a great sense of humor. 

I hate that we didn’t get to spend time together after her senior year. 
Our paths were going different ways – but I always thought about her
and wished her the best and I think she thought the same of me.  
 I was heart broken when I learned about her death. 
I really wished I had taken the time to get reacquainted with her after we both grew up. 
I didn’t live in town anymore, and whenever I came home there never seemed to be enough time.   
So, if there is someone that you cared about, take the time to tell him or her. 
We never know what tomorrow will bring.  Brenda was a unique person and God must have needed her with him. 
Now, even though she is missed here very much by her family and friends, she and John can be together again.

 - Glenda Stewart Faires ('68) of GA - 03/03/04
Thanks, Glenda.