Obituary of Brenda Anderson

Dr. Brenda Jean AndersonDr. Brenda Jean Anderson, Director and Educator of Theatre, Opera and Multidisciplinary arts, has passed away peacefully in the Palliative Care Ward at Notre Dame Hospital in Montréal at age 68. Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on March 23, 1948, Brenda Anderson attended Haultain then King Edward Public Schools and Aden Bowman Collegiate and spent her summers at Waskesiu, a place she loved and continued to visit throughout her life. Brenda earned five degrees from the Universities of Saskatchewan (BA, Honours), Alberta (MFA), Illinois (Ph.D - at the age of 27) and McGill (M.Ed). Brenda Anderson was a theatre educator and Actors'' Equity director with international credits in Theatre and Opera. She instructed all aspects of creative production, performance and literature at Queens, Concordia, and the Universities of Calgary, Alberta, Illinois and McGill. In addition to working on more than 100 productions, Brenda lent her talent to numerous arts organizations and publications in a multitude of ways, including: dramaturge for the New Play Centre, Vancouver; organizer of Canada''s first International Director''s Colloquium; and in 2011 she served as a principal researcher for Mathieu Roy''s Highly Acclaimed Film SURVIVING PROGRESS. Former students, colleagues, friends and family will remember, love and celebrate Brenda for her eclectic interests and fascinations with the world around her and those who populated it; her devotion and passion for the theatre (in all of its forms); her artistic flair as evidenced in her fashion, home and work; and mostly - for her love and zest for life. Brenda was what most shelter workers and rescue organizations refer to as a "foster failure". That is to say that Brenda often ended up adopting the dogs she intended to foster. Giving forever homes to Fifi her beloved Shih Tzu, Beauty her formidable Doberman, and her exuberant constant companion, Tyson the Min Pin. For these animals she provided a loving home they had never known. With a voracious appetite for knowledge, Brenda read, researched, travelled and explored the world from all angles - crystallizing, creating, and reflecting her musings and findings through numerous art forms. Although her expressions were primarily through creation and direction of live performance, Brenda''s spirit is also poignantly reflected in a prolific collection of multimedia collages, art cards and paintings she created throughout her life - particularly in recent years. In spite of living with ongoing pain, Brenda continued to face each day head on. Studying and notating every aspect of her medical journey including her physicians'' and attendants'' every word, demeanor and comment; colour coding entries in notebooks regarding medications; keeping journals and logs of treatments, pills and pain - analyzing and finding humour in all of it, in a way only Brenda could. She taught so many, so much. Brenda was predeceased by her mother Jean Anderson (1981) and survived by her father Renne and stepmother Betty McLeod-Anderson, sister Loye, brother Kent, nieces Trina Moccasin, Tonia Anderson, nephew Blade Moccasin, five great-nieces and nephews (all from Saskatoon), special friends Dean Cottrill and Sharon DiGenova, and her beloved dog Tyson. Services will be held in Montreal on Saturday April 30 at Unity Church 3455 Ave Girouard. Time: 12:00 p.m. Additional Service will be held in Saskatoon on (time and date to be announced). Should you wish to donate in Brenda''s memory, please consider making a donation to a no kill shelter or animal welfare organization of your choosing. Holly''s Hope was an organization close to Brenda''s heart. Donations can be made at www.hollyshopeforanimalsinneed.com.