With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Brenda Kay Manes, 63, on June 8, 2025, in Washburn, ND. Brenda was a loving wife, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend whose kindness and love touched the lives of all who knew her. Memorial Mass of Christian Burial for Brenda and her father Elmer VanMoorlehem will be held at 11:00am on Thursday, June 19th at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Canby, MN. Inurnment will be at the St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery in Canby, MN. Houseman Funeral Home-Birk Chapel of Canby, MN has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Brenda was born on September 14, 1961, in Canby, MN as the sixth of eight children. She graduated from Minneota, MN High School in 1979. In 1982, she married Scott Bernardy, and together they spent the next eight years in Hendricks, MN, Pipestone, MN, and later Bloomington, MN. In 2016, Brenda moved to Washburn, ND to be near her special friend, Kim Jackson. It was there she found her soulmate, Gary Manes. He and his lab Gunner made Brenda the happiest she had ever been. Brenda dedicated much of her life to helping others. She worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for 13 years before returning to school to become a lab technician—a profession she truly loved. She worked in this field for eight years, spending the last three at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, before a back injury ended her career. Despite this challenge, Brenda remained resilient and determined. Her strength was further tested as she bravely fought various cancers for the last five years of her life. Through it all, she remained a source of inspiration to those around her. She remained optimistic and never complained, always going out of her way to help others – despite living with chronic pain.
Brenda will be remembered for her generosity and warm heart. She lived a life filled with kindness and compassion putting the needs of others before her own. May she rest in peace, knowing she was deeply loved and will be dearly missed. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Gary for the planting of a Blue Spruce in her memory, as requested by Brenda.
Brenda’s family was special to her. She is survived by her husband, Gary Manes, Washburn, ND; mother, Betty VanMoorlehem (Brainerd, MN, formerly Canby, MN); her brother Jim VanMoorlehem (Shell Lake, WI); her sisters: Sandy Lambert (Tom) of Houston, TX, Jan St. Aubin (Doug) of Brainerd, MN, Barb Otterson (Bill) of Goodyear, AZ, and Darlene Gonnerman (Ray) of Yelm, WA; and her brother Doug VanMoorlehem (Sue) of Pipestone, MN. She also leaves behind many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Elmer VanMoorlehem, sister, Peggy Athman, her maternal and paternal grandparents, her nephew Mark Lambert, niece Sheri who passed on the same day as Brenda, and her great-nephew Brandon Holmes.
