12/18/1948 – 10/10/2025
Lawrence
Brenda Jane Gadd, Lawrence, Kan., died on October 10, 2025, at her home, with her faithful Golden Retriever, Rosie, at her side.
She leaves a big circle of family and friends who will remember and miss her cheerfulness, love of animals, and unfailing generosity. Brenda was an unconventional and artistic soul, and she found great peace and solitude in nature. She did things her own way – at college in Indiana University in the 1960s, she reputedly got crossways with her sorority sisters for listening to the Beatles’ White Album. She earned a degree in art history from the University of Kansas in 1993. She loved what she called junking – collecting, finding, and selling artifacts. Over the years, she had secondhand stores in Kansas and in Louisiana. She was an avid photographer, reader, and visual artist.
After moving from Lawrence in the 1990s, she lived in Lake Charles, La., Indianapolis, Ind., and Tucson, Ariz., before moving back to Lawrence in 2003.
Brenda was born Dec. 18, 1948, in South Bend, Ind., to M. Eloise and Robert Bubenzer. Brenda had three children from her marriage to her first husband, Richard Musser: Noah, Liz, and Ben. She married Dale Gadd in 1993, and he died in 1995.
Brenda is survived by children Noah (Virginia) Musser and Liz (Eric) Weslander, Lawrence; and Ben (Beth) Musser, Malden, Mass. She was an excellent Grammy to four grandchildren: Kellar Musser, Lawrence; Owen Musser, Bennington, Vt.; Julian Weslander, Chicago Ill., and Maya Weslander, Lawrence. She is also survived by brother Bruce (Marilyn) Bubenzer, sister-in-law Karen Bubenzer, and many nieces and nephews. She always shared her life with one or more dogs, including many English Springer Spaniels, a goofy Black Labrador, and two Golden Retrievers. She was preceded in death by her parents, by her second husband Dale, and by her brother Bob.
A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, Nov. 9, 3-6 p.m., at the Cider Gallery, 810 Pennsylvania St., Lawrence. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Lawrence Humane Society or the Lawrence Arts Center would be appreciated.
She never gave up on her belief that the world could be a better, more peaceful place, no matter how bad things got. We’ll try our best to keep making it better on her behalf.
As Brenda closed many of her conversations: Carry on, and make it a good one.
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