Brenda Gail (McLemore) Westenberger

Brenda Gail Westenberger, 63, of Carterville, passed away Friday, January 7, 2022, at Herrin Hospital.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, January 15, 2022, at Riggin-Pillatsch & Burke Funeral Home in Carterville, with Pastor Ward Miller officiating. Private burial will take place at Mound City National Cemetery in Mounds. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Friday, January 14, at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions can be made to Bible Baptist Church, P.O. Box 14, Carterville, Illinois 62918.

Brenda was born November 1, 1958, in Salem, Kentucky, to George O’Neal and Pearl (Parrish) McLemore. She married Kenneth D. Westenberger on May 14, 1988, in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida.

She is survived by her loving husband of 33 years, Kenneth Westenberger of Carterville; sons, Kenneth (Kerry) Westenberger of Honolulu, Hawaii and Brandon (Michaela) Westenberger of Marion; grandchildren, Melanie, Braxton, and Kenny Westenberger; father, O’Neal McLemore of Ardmore, Tennessee; brother, Terry McLemore of Corinth, Mississippi; sisters, Tina (Jim) Fritts of Ardmore, Tennessee, Valarie (Daryl) Garrison of Russellville, Alabama, and Jacque Akins of Jacksonville, Florida; sister-in-law, Jeanette (Dr. Jay) Martinson of Kankakee, Illinois; and several nieces and nephews.

Brenda was preceded in death by her mother, Carol McLemore, and brother, Jeff McLemore.

Brenda served the Lord most of her life. Before marriage, she worked at Calvary Children’s Home in Smyrna, Georgie. After marriage, both Ken and Brenda entered full-time ministry through Child Evangelism Fellowship in North Alabama. The couple served in church planting through East Africa outreach and later Madison Baptist Church World Missions. They planted churches in Uganda, East Africa as well as Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The Lord called Brenda and Ken away from missions in 2012 when they returned to the states and were called to Bible Baptist Church where they served for nine years until December 2021. During this time, Brenda shared her love of the Lord, the Bible and her musical talents in the church. Many ladies in the church, as well as women all over the world, remember her personal interest in their lives, their good talks, and her fervent prayers for them. She battled cancer for 22 years and shared the love of the Lord with many health care professionals along her journey.

Brenda was an avid reader, loved playing games, and enjoyed singing in church and teaching children’s Sunday School classes. She would say that being a mom was her greatest joy until she became a “NiNi” to her three grandchildren and loved to cuddle them, read to them and talk about Jesus to them.

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