OBITUARY: Brenda Helen Carta, 61

Below is an obituary from Nichols Funeral Home:

WILMINGTON, MA — Brenda Helen Carta, age 61, a life-long resident of Wilmington, peacefully passed away at home on July 10, 2024, surrounded by loved ones. While our hearts are heavy with sorrow, we find comfort in knowing that she is now at peace and free from suffering.

Brenda was the beloved daughter of Helen P. (Calnan) & the late Frank E. Carta, dear sister of Patricia A. (Carta) Jackson & husband Brad, of Wilmington and Frank E. Carta, Jr. & significant other Jessica, of Pepperell, devoted aunt of Jessica (Jackson) Geilfuss & spouse Jackie, Katie (Jackson) DiSanto & husband Mike, Sarah Jackson, Brad Jackson & wife Valerie (Albano), Micaela (Carta) Card & husband Evan, and Gaven Carta & fiancée Lindsay, and great-aunt of Connor Jackson and Anthony DiSanto. Brenda was the cherished cousin of the Calnans, O’Connells, & the Duleys and lifelong friend of Lori Gerokoulis.

Born at Winchester Hospital on New Year’s Eve in 1962,​​ Brenda came into life with a bang. Many of her birthdays were spent with the entire family at the Chateau, complete with her favorite chocolate cake. She loved sweets, especially bumbleberry pie and any kind of berry ice cream. She was a gifted baker, and every holiday and birthday included a full spread of family favorites: Christmas cookies, bird’s nests, Rolo pretzels, homemade Chex Mix, sugar cookies, gingerbread people, peanut butter rice crispy treats, peanut butter blossoms, and peanut butter balls (Sense a trend?).

Mischievous and playful, Brenda was like a ringleader of the kids, so it’s no surprise that at holidays and Sunday dinners she sat at the kids’ table. Playing board games, BINGO, and tiddlywinks, reading books aloud, having sleepovers with popped popcorn, and endless making arts and crafts: with Auntie Brenda, everything was fun. Brenda loved crafting, especially rubber stamping and making her own greeting cards. Every holiday, birthday, anniversary, or occasion was celebrated with a personalized card in an envelope covered in her signature stickers and doodles with a heartfelt message full of love.

Her childlike wonder served her well as a long-time educator. After graduating from Salem State with a degree in Education, she went on to teach in many different settings, but primarily in early education. She was a preschool teacher at the Wonder Years in Wilmington and at the Leap School in Concord and Lexington, an ESL teacher in Salem, a reading teacher at the Woburn Street School, and a substitute teacher at the West School.

Brenda dedicated her life to her three greatest passions: her love of children, her love of teaching, and her love of Jesus. For 38 years, she taught the Kindergarten Sunday School class at the Congregational Church. Her nieces and nephews relished their time in her class (perhaps because it was the only one with snacks), and they all loved it so much that they went on to teach Sunday School with Auntie Brenda when they were in high school. It meant the world to Brenda that she was able to teach generations of children the Lord’s Prayer. During the later years in her life, as her health declined and times became more difficult, her faith remained steadfast and sustained her. While Brenda’s passing brings much sadness and grief, her family and friends can be comforted knowing that surely goodness and mercy followed her all the days of her life and she will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Family and friends will gather for Visiting Hours at the Nichols Funeral Home, 187 Middlesex Ave. (Rte. 62), Wilmington, on Wednesday, July 17th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held on Thursday, July 18th at 10:00 a.m. in the Wilmington Congregational Church, 220 Middlesex Ave., Wilmington. Interment will follow in Wildwood Cemetery, Wilmington.

Donations in Brenda’s memory may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to Beth Israel Lahey Health at Home Hospice, 800 W. Cummings Park Suite 5000, Woburn, MA 01801.

To leave a message of condolence for the family please visit our website at www.nicholsfuneralhome.com.