Mrs. Brenda Joyce (Nauden-Oes) Stokes

Brenda Joyce (Nauden-Oes) Stokes was born on December 13th, 1954 to Berice (Nauden) Stricklin and Leburn Oes, Sr. In the early years of her childhood she grew up in the countryside of Wynne, Arkansas, being raised alongside her brothers Aaron and Winston, by her grandmother Martha Nauden and family friend Johnnie Jeffrey. She was raised on a farm where her family raised hogs and chickens. In the summers and other frequent occasions, she would visit her mother and younger siblings in Stuttgart, Arkansas. In 1970 her fher moved her to Kansas City, Missouri to live with him. Driven by an adamant belief in entrepreneurship, in the early 1970s, her fher began to open and multiply a chain of dry cleaning plants and storefronts throughout the Kansas City metro area. Among the 12 stores opened in his lifetime, in 1972, he opened a plant and storefront for Brenda to run while she was 16 and still in high school. She would tend school by day, and learn the ins and outs of managing the business when school let out. She gradued from Southeast High School in 1973 and studied coursework Penn Valley Community College. As an organcally grown entrepreneuer, Brenda oversaw the day to day management and plant operion of Brenda’s Thrifway Cleaners, loced on the corner of 39th and Indiana for over five decades. Throughout the years, she graciously gave opportunities to employ her siblings, children, nieces and nephews, neighborhood teens, family friends, or individuals simply needing work. She was passione about serving her community by frequently doning clothing to neighborhood mothers and children in need, providing financial assistance and free cleaning services, a warm place for bus prons to wait during rain or winter, and passione words of encouragement and prayers for passerbys in need. One day in 1973 while working in the yard with her fher, a neighbor by the name of Clarence Stokes walked by and asked the two if they needed help. Shortly thereafter, Brenda’s fher offered Clarence a job one of his dry cleaners. Years ler in 1976, Clarence ended up working Brenda’s Cleaners and assisted in managing the plant and other family locions. In 1994 their long-time friendship evolved into love and they were ler married on February 18, 1999. Together the two loved to fish, laugh, bake sweet poto pies, and open their home to host family gherings and special occasions. In 1995 Brenda stumbled upon Harvest Church Internional Outreach in North Kansas City and was impacted by the dynamic teaching of Pastor Steve Houpe. Shortly thereafter she brought her family and they joined the church. Brenda served for many years as a greeter and loved to serve the ministry with dry cleaning services when needed. Brenda was known for her big laugh, her diehard love for fishing, a knack for baking, her dedicted work ethic, kind spirit, love for her family, and most importantly, her love and faith in God. She was preceded in deh by her parents, daughter Tia Stokes, son Ryan Stokes, sister Karen Stricklin, brothers Leburn Oes, Jr., and Gregory Oes, and nephews Darryl Nimrod Jr., Reginal Tubbs, and Larry Oes, Jr. She leaves to cherish her memory, husband Clarence Stokes, daughter, Veronica Lee, grandson, Jonhan Campbell, Step-Mother Bonnie Oes, son Torrell Stokes (& Cynthia), daughters Nasha Stokes and Crystal Stokes, and grandchildren Bryon Stokes, Tamyra Stokes, Neriah Stokes, Noah Stokes, Nyah Stokes, Sage Stokes, Shelumiel Stokes, Josiah Stokes, Amaziah Stokes, and Eliana Stokes. Siblings, Aaron (& Annette) Nauden, Winston (& Brenda) Scott, Joyce (& Alan) Salesman, Kelvin (& Monique) Stricklin, Martha Stricklin, Valerie (& Terry) Smith, Angela Stricklin, Lanny Oes, Ronald Oes, Larry Stricklin, Jr., Barbara Stricklin, Andrea Stricklin, Ann Sanders, a host of nieces and nephews whom she adored, cousins, and many other loved ones and friends.