A memorial service will take place at Riverwood Funeral Service in Brookhaven, MS on Saturday August 24th, 2024.  Visitation will be held at 2 pm and Memorial Service at 3 pm. Brenda wants you to wear bright colors!!  Pastor Lonnie Case will officiate, and burial will take place at Ramah Baptist Church cemetery in McCall’s Creek afterwards.

Brenda Carol Lofton Tasselli was born October 30, 1943, in Brookhaven MS and passed away on July 24, 2024, in Brookhaven MS.  She was the daughter of Zack and Hazy Moak Lofton and the youngest of 10 children. Their home was in the McCall Creek area of West Lincoln County. Ramah Baptist Church is and was central to their community where many family members and ancestors are buried.

She graduated from West Lincoln High School in 1961. She kept up with some of her classmates from 63 years ago.

Brenda made her home in many places across the country during her life.  She lived in Hickory, North Carolina; Dallas, Texas; Phoenix Arizona; Huntington Beach, CA; and Loveland, Colorado before returning to Lincoln County in her last years.

Brenda was known for her spunk and quick wit. She loved to laugh and appreciated a good story. Her holiday decorations were always on target, and she celebrated every holiday with flourish. “Anything worth doing was worth over doing”

Her favorite sports teams were the Dallas Cowboys, second only to The Denver Broncos.

When asked what she enjoyed most in her life, she said that it was spending time with her family and friends. Her last years were spent at Diversicare in Brookhaven where she created yet another community of nurses and caregivers and other residents.

She is preceded in death by her parents: Zach and Hazy Lofton; Her Brothers and Sisters: Irene Lofton Brister (M.L. Brister), Joseph Thomas (J.T.) Lofton (Ruby Smith), James Allen Lofton (Gladys Smith), Shirley Lofton Whittington (W.A. Whittington), Agnes Marie Lofton (J.R. Moak, Doug Foreman Amolene Lofton, Mike Lofton (Patsy Cross), Peggy Omega Lofton (Ashford Impson); and her Children: J. Kevin Wilkinson, Susan Wilkinson Denison.

She is survived by her brother, Rev Pat Lofton (Annie Katherine Arnold); her daughter: Carolyn Wilkinson Sloan of Portland, OR; her Son in Law: Jeff Denison of Rapid City, SD; her grandchildren; Tyler Wilkinson of Boone NC, Logan Wilkinson of Port Washington WI, Brody Wilkinson of Port Washington WI, Matthew Sloan (Taylor Reynolds) of Portland Oregon, Jordan Sloan of Portland Oregon; Kate Denison Lee (Ben Lee) Rapid City, SD

She loved her numerous nieces and nephews, and they loved her.

She had some significant friends that were a part of her life in her early years and in her later years. Sue Laird, Barto Laird, Deborah Allred, Chris Smith, and Ashley Newell, to name a few. The family wishes to thank them for their loving care.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to the perpetual upkeep of Ramah Baptist Church Cemetery Fund are requested. Checks can be sent to Ramah Baptist Church, 1455 Ramah Road, McCall’s Creek, MS 39647 (Denote “Cemetery Fund” on the check).

Condolences and other information are available online at www.riverwoodfamily.com.