Brenda McMillan Carey

Legacy of Life Brenda McMillan Carey was born on December 7, 1953, to Irene Stewart and Willie (Billy) McMillan. On September 26, 2025, surrounded by loved ones, she peacefully returned home to Glory. Brenda was raised in Cheraw, South Carolina, “where the red mud meets the Pee Dee River,” by her paternal grandparents, Ms. Reba and Augusta McMillan. Her childhood was full of adventure, laughter, and just enough mischief to keep life interesting. She could often be found running through the fields with her beloved twin sister, Linda Hasty, her lifelong partner-in-crime. Brenda played the clarinet, ran track (or as she loved to say, “I ran backwards in track”), and carried a quick wit even from her earliest days. She attended Long Junior High School before graduating from Western Senior High School in Washington, D.C., in 1972. Later, she pursued her calling by earning an Associate of Theology degree from Christian Life School of Theology. But Brenda’s proudest accomplishment was becoming a mother. In 1976, she welcomed her only daughter, Dr. LaLinda McMillan Street, who carries her mother’s legacy forward, along with Brenda’s cherished son-in-law, Kamau, and her grandchildren, Kilante, Shonari, Nailah, and Zaid. Brenda especially loved it when little Kilante would threaten, “I’m going to tell my grandmother!” because everyone knew what that meant. Although raised in the Christian faith, it was a misdialed phone call to a pastor that truly set Brenda’s spiritual journey on fire. That “wrong number” became God’s right plan, leading her to the Nothing Impossible Fellowship under the leadership of Pastors James and Jean Flannagan, who later became her spiritual parents. Brenda had the rare gift of evangelism without pretense; she could strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere, and before long, they’d be walking with Christ. She later worshiped at EndTime Tabernacle, continuing her lifelong devotion to service and faith. Brenda spent her career serving others in hospitals across the region. She worked her way up from general hospitality roles at Georgetown University Hospital to supervisory and managerial roles at hospitals in Reston, Chippenham, and St. Mary’s in Richmond, VA. It was at St. Mary’s that fate intervened: a certain gentleman named Marvin A. Carey kept showing up at the hospital cafeteria, where Brenda worked, for hamburgers, when what he really wanted was Brenda’s smile. After some encouragement from his family, Marvin finally asked her out, and the rest is history. They shared 24 years of love, laughter, and a marriage that honored the vows of “for better or worse.” If you have ever visited their home, you probably heard Brenda’s voice ring out with her famous “Maaaarvin!” a sound equal parts love, exasperation, and humor. In her later years, Brenda worked in Patient Transport, where her gift of conversation thrived. She became known far and wide as “Here Comes Trouble” or “Crazy Brenda,” because she was the woman who could walk into any room and have the whole place in stitches within minutes. Yet her most treasured work was serving in the household of Dr. Harry and Melissa Shaia, where she became family to them, and they to her. Brenda was fierce, outspoken, and unapologetically herself. She fed the neighbors, volunteered at voting precincts, and even started the first union at Georgetown University. She loved hard, fought hard, and laughed hard. When two types of cancer came knocking, she fought it for seven years with grace, humor, and her signature strength, never once losing the essence of who she was. Though she did not grow up close to all her siblings, Brenda and her siblings forged bonds that time and distance could never break. Even when they disagreed, the love remained steadfast and true. Brenda leaves behind a family and community who adored her: her devoted husband, Marvin; daughter, LaLinda and son-in-law, Kamau; her grandchildren, Kilante, Shonari, Nailah and Zaid; her twin sister, Linda (James); her siblings, Mildred (George), Mary (Tracy), Ruth Lee, Shawn, Tatesha, Lonnie, and Terry (Chernell); in-laws, Michael, Lesley (Tyrone), Sandra (Donald) and Gary (Phyllis); her extended Shaia family; aunt, Virginia (Peter); goddaughter, Nacole Brown; a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins her church families; and countless friends—including Laura and Shelia, neighbors, and loved ones who were forever changed by her love, humor, and faith. To know Brenda was to laugh, to be fed, and to be reminded that life is meant to be lived out loud. She spoke her mind, loved with her whole heart, and gave of herself until the very end. Her story is not one of goodbye, but one of legacy. She has simply traded time for eternity, and her voice still echoes in our hearts — probably still yelling, “Maaaarvin!”

Tributes

Brenda McMillan Carey

December 7, 1953 - September 26, 2025