Obituary of Brenda Margaret Kallio
A fun old broad, Brenda Margaret Kallio (née Durnan, and then Matthews for a stint), born January 21, 1945, has passed away allegedly from complications due to Alzheimer’s on August 6, 2025… or, as her family strongly suspects, simply from absolute boredom after losing her ability to talk.
Brenda was renowned for her colourful personality, her love of Tom Selleck, and her Olympic-level ability to talk. The impact of dementia may have silenced her, but by then, she’d likely already said literally everything.
Not one for domestic life, Brenda prided herself on cleaning (up to) twice a year, and only because Christmas demanded it. She wasn't a morning person, rarely up before 11 a.m. Nor was she a chef, but she was a master of microwaved delicacies. She considered Rice Krispies Squares a perfectly suitable breakfast (“it’s cereal, isn’t it?”), and stuck to only “diet” candies like peppermint Lifesavers and cinnamon hearts.
Her hobbies included solitaire and euchre on the computer, darts and dominoes with her Wilmot Creek friends, and Friendly Fridays in the community Wheelhouse. When she wasn’t shopping for “bargoons”, her most regular form of exercise at the Bowmanville Walmart, she could be found catching up on recorded episodes of anything starring her life’s great obsession, Tom Selleck. Brenda was surely one of the world’s biggest Tom Selleck fans. She even named her cat “Magnum,” and was an avid reader in the Tom Selleck Fan Club on Facebook.
Christmas was Brenda’s favourite day of the year, the only time cleaning and decorating really mattered. Her house became (in)famous for musical ornaments and motion-sensitive decorations that played a different carol every time you entered a room. The local pilots may never forgive her as her homes were often mistaken for domestic airports. She owned more light-up slippers, earrings, and even sweatshirts than most toy stores. She also lit up the room with her jokes, self-deprecation, and a sense of humour that kept friends and family smiling through even the toughest times.
Her legacy: the many lives she’s touched and the warmth, joy, and laughter she brought to countless friends and family members. She never missed a birthday or important moment, always checked in on loved ones, and made sure they had the care they needed. Until they needed to get off the phone, which wasn’t going to happen for at least another 45 minutes. (See: Olympic-level talker.)
Brenda asked to be out of the spotlight when Alzheimer’s took away her ability to be the person she wanted remembered. She simply asked to be remembered for who she always was before her diagnosis. The family would like to thank the staff at Traditions of Durham, Extendicare Oshawa, and the palliative care team at Lakeridge Health Oshawa for taking such great care of her.
Sticking to her wishes for an upbeat Celebration of Life, you’re invited to attend:
When: Sept 7, anytime from 2-5pm
Where: Mansion Kitchen + Bar
Dress Code: “Upscale tacky”! Think tropical shirts, Christmas sweaters, anything loud, fun and totally Brenda. Light-up accessories will be provided–no black clothes unless they light up or play music.
RSVP: If you intend to join us for the celebration, please add your name here. This isn’t a commitment, only looking to get a rough estimate for numbers
Instead of flowers, please donate to either the Canadian Cancer Society, which she supported in memory of her husbands Bruce and Wally, or the Alzheimer’s Society in her name.
Instead of tears, Brenda would suggest you “just call recycling to come pick me up,” remember and share the laughter she brought us, and keep her symphony of joy alive, though perhaps with a dozen fewer motion-sensitive Xmas decorations.
