It's been a joy for me and Britt Boughner to be Sean and Brenda's close friends for the past 33 years. It's also been an honor and privilege to be treated as a part of their family and watch Shea and Cam grow up to be kind and caring young adults.
We met Brenda and Sean on a softball field in Cambridge back in 1993, first when Britt and Sean played for their company softball team - then Sean came to play for my law firm’s team shortly after that. That naturally led to us meeting Brenda who was a spectator at many games and would join us for post-game celebrations, where we all formed a strong bond. One of our earliest celebrations together was Canadian Thanksgiving, complete with Brenda’s homemade maple leaf cupcakes while we wore hockey helmets.
At Sean and Brenda’s wedding we were honored to be recruited as “game masters” of a Jeopardy-based game for the guests that had mostly been put together by Brenda. It was a day filled with a lot of love, laughter and great music. Britt could always elicit a laugh when he called back an impression of Brenda’s mom on the dance floor. Many times, over the years, we’ve mentioned to Shea and Cam that it was by far the best and most fun wedding we ever attended. And the fun didn't end when Shea and Cam came along. We were embraced, because, as Brenda once said to Britt, "I want you to be part of our journey."
Brenda and Sean often included us for holidays and special occasions that Brenda always made even more special. She created so many memorable times where her enthusiasm and sense of fun was always present: such as transforming her home into a haunted house at Halloween, a completely immersive Harry Potter birthday party for Shealagh many years ago, and spearheading a cat-themed 50th birthday party for Britt in her home to raise money for the Woburn Feral Cat Coalition. There were too many memorable occasions to be able to be able to mention them all here.
But while Brenda made special occasions extra special, it wasn’t just those days that were important. It was every day, doing kind things without needing a reason, such as leaving us a complete Italian dinner on our doorstep during the pandemic, or, mostly, just enjoying each other’s company. Brenda was unique in so many ways: creative and talented, kind and generous, community-focused and always reaching out to anyone in need. She brought happiness to many people and wanted them to have good lives. We should all try to emulate what Brenda brought to the world, and, as I echo what was so eloquently written about her, she truly did make people feel that they matter, that they’re needed, and were loved. A magnanimous soul, she was a dear friend, who will be sorely missed and will remain in our hearts forever. With admiration and love, Allison
A Day on Top of the World
On August 22, 2024, Brenda and I took a road trip up to Cornish, NH, to visit Shea who was working as a seasonal gardener's assistant at Saint-Gaudens National Park, formerly the home of famous sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Sean was working that day, and Brenda, knowing I was a huge fan of sculptor Daniel Chester French, a protege of Saint-Gaudens, invited me to tag along. I was excited to see the estate and to check in with Shea, whom I’ve known since she was born and who was now a young woman exploring new and creative career paths.
We arrived early, and the fog was still hugging the ground as we walked up to the grand house Saint-Gaudens had named Aspet. Shea greeted us warmly and took the box of dozen doughnuts I had brought from the popular Donut Shack in Lowell. As we entered the porch on the left side of the house, I was immediately struck by the spectacular view from the veranda. Through the hanging vines dangling from the porch roof, I could see fields of wild grass and flowers beyond the lawn, which stretched down a sloping hill. The purple haze of Vermont’s Mount Ascutney loomed in the distance. A square table sat in the middle of the porch filled with an amazing array of every sort of breakfast food one could imagine: breads, pastries, quiches, fruit, and cheeses. And as folks arrived they kept bringing more. Someone had even brought grits and biscuits. Unbeknownst to me, we had crashed a private party for staff and volunteers – and there we were with my box of doughnuts. But, despite that, everybody welcomed us warmly, and soon I was engaged in fascinating conversations with both young seasonal workers and veteran staff members alike. Brenda, who was always on a mission to create and nurture community, knew I would feel right at home here. And she was right. As for the doughnuts I had brought, they disappeared in minutes.
Although Saint-Gaudens’ Federal-style house is grand, its expansive grounds give it soul. From the towering hemlock hedges, requiring their own caretaker, and the double line of white birch trees that form a canopy over a 600-foot path called the Allée, to the garden patches everywhere, it felt more like an arboretum than someone’s big yard. After chatting with Peter, the chief hedge caretaker, I walked to the back of the house, where I found Brenda chatting with Shea as she pruned and watered flowers because Shea was still working that day. As I watched mother and daughter converse and share gardening tips, I smiled at how their relationship had grown into a dynamic adult friendship.
One of the running jokes throughout the day had been that everyone thought I was Shea’s father—something Shea kept calmly having to explain was untrue, and that her dad would be coming up the next day. Though it was a case of mistaken identity, I was just as proud of Shea as if I were her parent, and would want my kids to be the wonderful young adults that Shea and Cam had become.
Several of Saint-Gaudens’ famous sculptures such as Abraham Lincoln and the Shaw Memorial (which also stands in front of the Massachusetts State House), cast from the original molds, are located near the giant hedges. Brenda told me that one of her favorite sculptures there was the Adams Memorial. It had been commissioned by renowned historian Henry Adams after the passing of his wife Marian. It depicts a seated woman dressed in a shroud. Her eyes are cast downward as if she’s in a mournful state. At the time of our visit, Brenda’s father, Joe, was very ill. I sensed a pensive moment and decided to leave Brenda alone with her thoughts.
Later on, Shea invited us to see the nearby house she was sharing with her fellow National Historical Park housemates. Before entering the house, Shea brought out an armful of boxes and packages for her mom. I didn’t really understand what was going on; something about ordering packages to be sent to NH to pay less taxes on them. A woman after my own heart, Brenda, like me, was also always thrifty. In a more meaningful exchange, I also witnessed a tender moment between mother and daughter when Brenda gave Shea two family rings she had inherited. Inside the house, Brenda was excited for Shea to show me prints she had made from her own linocuts. Like any proud mom, Brenda always promoted her children’s accomplishments, whether it was Shea's art projects or Cam's participation with his high school DECA business team at the state competition.
Next, we drove a winding road up a hill to visit the garden plot Shea was loaned that summer by her new and generous friends Jim and Sue, who owned the property. From there, once again, the view was spectacular. As Shea picked ripe corn and pulled huge carrots from her garden plot for Brenda and me, Jim and Sue stopped by to greet us. Meeting them for the first time felt like getting together with old neighbors because Brenda had spoken so highly of them. I could immediately tell they had been great mentors for Shea, and I'm sure they will continue to be.
We concluded our magical day at a higher spot called Top of the World, home to Langwood Farm, which is popular for weddings and recreational activities like hiking. We had breath-taking, panoramic views of New Hampshire and a closer view of Mount Ascutney. I took many photos that day, but the last one I took seems especially poignant. In the photo, Brenda is standing alongside Shea in front of a path leading to an unknown destination. Her arm is around Shea’s shoulder as Shea trustfully leans into her. To their left, on a small mound, sits a birch tree with bountiful green leaves. Behind them is a rock garden filled with a variety of plants and flowers in full bloom. Further in the background is a field of yellow wildflowers, and beyond that are rows of tall evergreens. In this idyllic setting, this is how I will remember my dear friend Brenda: She was a force of nature, overflowing with an abundance of love for family, friends, and community. A beautiful and remarkable person who never stopped giving, she will forever be on top of my world. Love, Britt (not Shea's dad)
Brenda was a kind, caring person who was always supportive. I have known Brenda over twenty five years as a coworker and friend. I will miss her presence greatly.
Brenda was a very bright light on a dim horizons, which the world seems to be in various times,her thoughtfulness and caring will always be remembered, When I had a total knee replacement done in 2022 she insisted on coming up to Lowell, where I was convalescing at my son’s condo it was a one level living condo(easy for me to get around) and after the visit she left me a small bottle of Jameson’s Irish whiskey, that of course is what everyone would expect for her.I miss her smiling face and good sense of humor, the world seems a little darker today
The family of Brenda Louise Wells-Crowley uploaded a photo
