Brenda Lynn Eyring

Brenda Eyring, loving wife, mother, and "grannie" decided that 34 years was just too long to be without her beloved husband Mike, so she joined him on the other side and departed this life on September 10, 2025, at the age of 78.

Brenda was born in Farmington, New Mexico on June 7, 1947, the fourth child of Merwyn and Norma Sherwood. She grew up in the small town of Kirtland, New Mexico with her siblings Bryant, Sue, Danny, Valerie, and Yevette. She attended school in Kirtland and graduated from Central High School in 1965, before moving to Provo Utah to attend trade school where she studied to become a dental assistant.

While attending school, Brenda was hired by an apartment of boys from Chandler, Arizona, to cook their meals, and that's where she first met her future husband, Michael (Mike). Between her good looks and good cooking, and his "sparkling blue eyes," it didn't take them long to fall in love. They were married on December 16, 1966, in the Mesa Arizona LDS temple and, after finishing school in Utah, made their home in Kirtland.

Brenda and Mike had four sons together. First came Michael Chantz in 1970, then Bryant Sean in 1973, then Zachary Ray in 1976. Rory Dirk was a bit of a surprise in 1984, but he completed their eternal family.

Each of these boys in turn married and had families of their own, and Brenda was more than delighted to share her love with four daughters-in-law (finally some females in the family!), 14 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren...with more on the way.

Brenda was a homemaker and had a special talent for cooking, making bread and cinnamon rolls, and canning. It was a rare occasion when there wasn't the smell of something on the stove or in the oven when you walked into her home.

Brenda started Little Country School House, a small pre-school at her home, to help contribute financially to her growing family, and enjoyed many years of teaching children their ABCs, colors, and numbers before they attended public school.

A faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints her entire life, Brenda served in various callings, including as Relief Society President two different times and in the Young Women and Primary organizations. She also helped members of her ward and close friends prepare for the temple and would happily accompany them when they received their endowments or were sealed. She had an interest in family history and worked to research the names and dates necessary to submit names to the temple and make sure there are "no empty chairs" in heaven.

In 1991, when Chantz was on his mission, Mike was diagnosed with cancer and soon passed away, leaving Brenda to wonder how she could ever face raising her boys alone. But she persevered with faith and a testimony in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and knew that somehow it would all work out. Many blessings and miracles happened during those years she was a single mother, and she was able to send her remaining three boys on missions and off to college and marriage.

A few years later, Brenda married Jack Hicks and she and Rory moved to Phoenix, Arizona for a time before eventually moving back to Kirtland. Following Jack's death, and after Rory returned from a mission and went to college, Brenda joined her son Zachary's family in Minersville, Utah, where she lived for several years. When Zachary moved from Minersville to Missouri, she found a "bonus" son in her nephew Justin Crum and his family who remained in Minersville. After her son Rory completed school and had settled in Spanish Fork, Utah, Brenda made what she said was going to be her "final move" to live near him, where she lived until her death.

Brenda was preceded in death by her sweetheart Mike, her parents Norma and Merwyn, her sister Valerie, and her brother Danny.

Brenda is survived by her four sons and their children/grandchildren:

 Chantz & Irma Eyring (Farmington, NM)

 Eddie & Samantha Howard (Farmington, NM)

 -Aaliyah

- Angel

- Gavin

- Kaeleb

Kimberly & Travis Montgomery (South Jordan, UT)

- Carlisle

- Phoebe

- Daphne

- Baby girl due in a few weeks

 Andrew & Shaleesa Eyring (Farmington, NM)

-Calvin

-Cecelia

 Isabela & Casey Bentley (Orem, UT)

- Sofia Eyring (Provo, UT)

Sean & Janet Eyring (Pleasant Grove, UT) 

Westley & Tiandra Eyring (Derby, KS)

- Emmy, Baby due early next year

Christopher Eyring (Pleasant Grove, UT)

Zachary & LeAnn Eyring (Carthage, IL)

- Creighton & Sarah Eyring (Rexburg, ID), Baby boy due early next year

- Kinley & Tyler Nye (Rexburg, ID) 

- Hailey Eyring (Rexburg, ID) 

- Taven Eyring (Carthage, IL)

Rory & Marielle Eyring (Spanish Fork, UT)

- Shaylee Eyring

- Kaitlyn Eyring 

- Talmage Eyring

There will be a viewing held on Friday, September 19, 2025, from 6-8pm at Farmington Funeral Home located at 2111 W. Apache Street, in Farmington, New Mexico, for those wishing to pay their respects and greet the family.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 20, 2025, at 11am at the old Kirtland chapel (473 Road 6100) in Kirtland, New Mexico. A viewing will begin at 10am, followed by the funeral service at 11am, and graveside service at the Kirtland Cemetery.

We have arranged for the funeral service to be live-streamed starting at 11am, on Saturday, September 20, 2025. Please use the following link:
https://zoom.us/j/92853208189?pwd=jFHjqLj3Dp6WYyW0b5rPQb0lyauvWp.1