Brenda Dawn

Freeman Cantrell

Brenda Dawn Freeman Cantrell lived most of her life like an endless summer afternoon. She loved summer. The sunshine. The beach. The blue skies. Even the occasional thunderstorm. All three of her sons, Drew, Calvin, and Nolan, were born in summer. And whether it was the annual family reunions in Port Aransas, the colorful hollyhocks and sunflowers growing tall in her backyard in Denton, the pool parties, or the fourth of July celebrations on the lake at Ridglea Hills in Fort Worth, Brenda embraced summer the way she embraced life with perpetual gratitude, love, and awe.

On Tuesday, October 3, 2023, we lost our summer girl. She passed away, at age 63, at Heart to Heart Hospice Care in Fort Worth. Like in life, in death, Brenda was surrounded by her family.

Brenda was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 14, 1959, to O.B. and Cora (Weissinger) Freeman. She was raised in Sweetwater, Texas, and like her dad O.B., she was a loud and proud West Texan. She graduated from Texas Tech University in 1982 and soon after headed for the glitz and glam of Houston where she landed her first marketing and public relations job. Later, she would leave Houston for Dallas, where she would begin her decades long career at Travel Host Magazine.

Besides having a successful career, Brenda was a devoted mother. She marveled that she had, for the last twenty years, made a home and life for herself and her boys in Fort Worth, the very city where she was born. She was a realtor at Coldwell Banker Realty for the past ten years. She spent her time being involved in Band Boosters at Arlington Heights High School, taking walks with her daughter-in-law and grandson, and volunteering in her community at the Stockyards and at the annual Mayfest. Cultivating friendships was one of her superpowers. Once Brenda's friend, always Brenda's friend. To know Brenda was to know the raucous loyalty of a Red Raider and Cowboy fan, to understand that music is a love language, and to be powerless against an invitation to dance anywhere, at any time, to any tune. Brenda used to tell her friends, "love your guts!" She believed that if you could love someone's guts, then it meant you could love all of them. And, man, did she love all of us fiercely.

She is survived by her sons Andrew "Dru" Mark Ondich, wife Taylor, and grandson Quill of Fort Worth, Texas; Calvin Cantrell and wife Emma of Fort Worth, Texas; Nolan Cantrell of Fort Worth, Texas; her mother, Cora Freeman of Sweetwater, Texas; her sister, Deborah Freeman Clark of Sweetwater, Texas; her two brothers, Mark Freeman and friend Elizabeth Frizzell of Needville, Texas; Jimmy Freeman and wife Melinda of San Angelo, Texas; several nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews; and countless friends.

Brenda's wishes were cremation. There will be a memorial service at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, October 14, 2023, at McCoy Chapel of Memories at McCoy Funeral Home in Sweetwater and a celebration of life to follow at the Sweetwater Country Club. She was preceded in death by her father, O.B. Freeman November 4, 2010.

The family asks in lieu of flowers please consider donating a monetary gift in honor of Brenda to one of these organizations: JPS Foundation, 1223 South Main Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76104 or online at www.jpshealthnet.org/foundation Heart to Heart Hospice Foundation, 6940 River Park Circle, Fort Worth, Texas 76116 or online at www.htohhfoundatin.org National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc, PO Box 676910, Dallas, Texas 75267 or online at www.nationalbreastcancer.org/get-involved/give/ Safe Haven of Tarrant County, 1100 Hemphill Street, Suite 303, Fort Worth, Texas 76104 or online at www.safehaventc.org/give.