Brenda Joan Mahoney

Brenda Joan Mahoney was born on October 3, 1962, in St. Louis, Missouri. Brenda was loved by family members, friends, and colleagues and she will be dearly missed. She passed quite suddenly but peacefully on July 16, 2020, surrounded by love. She will be held in our hearts forever.

In 1967 Brenda’s family moved to Crystal Lake, Illinois, where she spent her childhood. She graduated from Crystal Lake Community/Central High School in 1981, and earned a Certificate of Secretarial Science from the Robert Morris College in Carthage, IL, in 1982.

As a child Brenda enjoyed many activities including dance and Girl Scouts. In adulthood she loved art, music, travel, theater, and she was a fan of Broadway musicals as well as an avid Chicago sports fan. Brenda especially loved her time in Maui where she spent many wonderful days and evenings with her family at Honokeana Cove filled with the large sea turtles she adored. Brenda’s extensive list of friends and coworkers considered her one of the most outgoing, sweet, and enthusiastic persons they have ever known. She would always help someone whenever called upon. During COVID-19, Brenda enjoyed playing Yahtzee with her friends via Zoom.

Brenda was a career woman who worked at key positions throughout her life. She was recognized for working five years with the Family Institute at Northwestern University--most recently as Operations Manager. Previously she worked as the Assistant to the President and Vice President of the Broadacre Management Company in Lake Forest, IL.

The family would like to thank Brenda’s physicians and nurses at Swedish Covenant Hospital, and Rush University Medical Center for their kind and considerate care.

Brenda is survived by her mother Patricia J. Travis and her partner, Ken Slavik, of Portland, OR; her brother Michael P. Mahoney and his son, Jackson Mahoney; her brother Kevin D. Mahoney, his wife Ellen, their son Drew Mahoney, M.D., and their daughter Erika (Mahoney) Bates and her husband Brandt; her stepbrothers Rick Travis and his wife, Terri Travis, and Tom Travis and his wife Linda Travis; her stepsisters Beth Travis Costello and her husband Tom Costello, and Kathy Travis Swanger, and her husband Jeff Swanger; her aunts Joan Brophy Sifferle and her husband Bill Sifferle, and Valerie Bowman and her husband Allan Bowman; and her Uncle Chuck Brophy and his wife Sylvia Brophy.

Brenda is preceded in death by her grandparents, her beloved stepfather, Richard E. Travis, and her father Henry P. Mahoney.

A life-ceremony celebration will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, Brenda would like you to do something kind for a stranger in need.