Brenda Nadine Helm Verbeck age 60 died at home on September 23. Brenda lived a life full of adventure serving her country and others as a social worker. Brenda always had a smile on her face, a laugh on her lips, and brought joy to everyone she met. Her home was a safe, welcoming place where she loved to have people gather and was the centerpiece of the family serving her famous cowboy beans and potatoes au gratin.

Her adventures began in Omak, WA where she was born before attending a one room school in Havillah, WA until it closed. In high school, Brenda was appropriately a cheerleader on and off the field. A runner all her life, she ran track, cross-country, and continued her passion running Bloomsday and racing her family members up Bonaparte Mountain during every annual Helm Family Campout.

Brenda was a decorated staff sergeant in the United States Air Force which allowed her to see the world. After marrying Richard Wayne Verbeck, they added a son Nicholas and a daughter Alyssa to their union. She took her family to Sydney Australia, Boise Idaho, and gave them a taste of the East Coast in Boston, MA. Upon her 20 year retirement from the Air Force, Brenda went back to school to earn her master's degree in psychology and took her love of children and serving others into the system as a Special Education Teacher for children with disabilities and then a Social Worker with DSHS.

Brenda had a strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and loved to sing unto the Lord. She discovered her talent and passion for singing at a young age, voted best voice of her class. She used her vocal talents for God singing in the worship band at the Community Presbyterian Church of Omak. She was not shy about her love for God and often enjoyed long theological conversations with her beloved son and others.

Though Brenda had much to be proud of, serving her country and the community as well as battling and overcoming breast cancer, her greatest joy came from being a mom and watching her children grow into accomplished adults. Brenda is survived by her beloved children Nick and Alyssa Verbeck, her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Verbeck, her ex-husband and father of her children, Rich Verbeck, her brother and sister-in-law, Andy and Joanne Helm and her sister Adele Newman as well as countless aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A service will be held October 7 at 5pm at the Community Presbyterian Church of Omak, 9 Birch St S, Omak, WA 98841.