Brenda Newton Gardner of Aberdeen, Maryland, passed away peacefully at her home on April 12, 2026. Born in Elkton, MD on September 16, 1945, she was the daughter of Raymond "Shorty" and Beatrice "Beattie" Newton.

Brenda graduated from Elkton High School in 1963 and was married to Joseph Simmons, of North East, MD, with whom she had her children.

In 1988 she married her second husband, Edward Gardner and moved to Parkville, MD.

She spent more than 20 years working for the law firm, Weinstock, Stevan, Harris and Friedman. After her husband's passing, she retired and moved to Aberdeen, MD and has since been living with her daughter's family.

She loved her children, grandchildren and extended family above all else. Her favorite days were spent at family gatherings and the famous picnics held at her sister's home. The Sunday Pinochle games with her sisters and brother-in-law were the highlight of her week. Brenda loved her cats. Her beloved cat, Beach, had been a constant companion and source of comfort to her throughout her illness. She was a great supporter of several feline rescue organizations.

She was an avid reader and participated in the Book Club at the Perryville Branch Library for as long as she was able. The librarians at Perryville were some of her favorite people.

Brenda took pride in never having missed an episode of Survivor, NCIS or Blue Bloods.

Her class of 1963 has stayed close over the years and she eagerly looked forward to their yearly luncheons and the opportunity to catch up with her old friends.

Brenda is survived by her daughters, Donna Nichols (Ernest), Aberdeen, MD, Dawn Simmons, North East, MD, and her son, Lance Simmons (Susan), Elkton, MD; her grandchildren, Stephanie, Joseph, Jordan, Lydia and Clara; her great-grandchildren, Mark and Alyssa; and her sisters, Portia Loomis (Allan) and Karean Sheldon.

A Celebration of Life will be held at:

Baldwin United Methodist Church

756 Elk Mills Road

Elkton, MD 21921

On Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 11:00 am

A luncheon will follow the service in church hall.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the following organizations:

The Wounded Warrier Project at:

support.woundedwarriorproject.org

or by mail at: Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516 Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516

or

Kindred Kitten Rescue at:

kindredkittenrescue.org/donate

or by mail at: Kindred Kitten Rescue 1036 Dunn Avenue Suite 4-193 Jacksonville, FL 32218