Brenda Kovach Searles

Brenda (Kovach) Searles of Gobles passed away Monday 12/18/2023 in Kalamazoo after a brief, but ferocious battle with leukemia. Brenda was born in Kalamazoo, MI September 1, 1957, to proud parents Joseph and Patricia (Butcher) Kovach. She grew up in Mattawan where she graduated high school in 1976. While in high school she was active in sports, jumping hurdles in track, choir, and cheerleading. She was also a member of the local church youth group. After high school, she attended and graduated Beauty School. She met and married Jack Sparks. They welcomed her three children Jessicia, Danieal, and Jack (Bubba) into the world. When she became a single mom, she went back to school to earn her Bachelor's of Business Administration from Davenport University and worked for many years managing the accounting department for L.D. Dosca Construction. She met the love of her life, Ron Searles, one night while out and he walked in with his tight jeans and snakeskin cowboy boots. The stars aligned and they fell madly in love. They created a beautiful and loving family with her three kids.

To know Brenda was to love, and be loved, by her. She was the best of the best daughter, sister, aunt, mother, grandmother, and friend. Her constant source of joy were her children and grandchildren. She was very proud of every one of them and would beam when ever she had the chance to brag about all of the their accomplishments. She enjoyed nothing more that traveling SW Michigan, and beyond, unless the roads were icy, to football and basketball games, wrestling and track meets, karate, soccer games, concerts, and Christmas programs. She also was an avid camper, not only family camping trips but her "girls camping" weekends. Her and her sister Cindy would gather with a close group of friends a few times a year at Yankee Springs for horseback riding, fun, cards, "left, right, center", campfires, food and friendship. She spent a great deal of time of the shores of Lake Michigan, particularly South Haven, which was one of her favorite places. She also enjoyed traveling with her sisters Debbie and Cindy. She loved taking care of her lawn, flowers, and would grow a huge vegetable gardens every year. After harvest she'd spend time canning and persevering her bounty which included jams, jellies, stewed tomatoes, and peaches, among many others. Although it was a weeks long task and lots of work to preserve her "winter food", she'd simply say "It just tastes better than anything store bought". She always considered it a great honor and privilege to be able to live on the family blueberry farm. She was so very thankful for her life and would say she was truly blessed. She also loved going to college and professional sports games, concerts, plays, and musicals She spent many birthdays at the 'Barn Theater' watching shows with her nephew Joe. She was a die-hard Detroit Lions fan. She was so excited they were finally having a decent season (10-4). Her second best team was the Kansas City Chiefs and would enjoy spending her Sundays watching the games all day. Brenda was the most kind and generous person. She was not only a mom to Jessicia, Danieal, and Bubba, but an entire force of her lovingly "adopted kids", you all know who you are!. She was a safe haven for so many. If you were in her presence you knew you were loved. Her light was very bright and will missed forever by all who knew and loved her. Her last few months she was surrounded by her family and loved ones, who dropped everything to help keep her light shining and held space for nothing but pure love for her.

Brenda was preceded in death by her husband, Ron Searles; parents, Joseph and Patricia Kovach; brother, Christopher Kovach; and her special lifelong friend, Sharon (Arnold) Aernie. She is survived by her children: Jessicia Sparks, Danieal (Tyler) Sweet, and Jack (Desiree) Sparks; grandchildren: Austin, Halle, Alyssa, Carmen, Ron, Annika, and Charlie; her loving and devoted sisters: Debra Hohiemer and Cynthia (Rick) Kazeks; brother, Peter (Victoria) Kovach; her nephew and friend Joe Byars, numerous other nephews and nieces who all held a very special place in her heart, and enormous amounts of friends and family. Please join the family Saturday, January 6th at Heritage Glen Golf Clubhouse from 2-5 PM for a celebration of life and luncheon. In lieu of flowers, monetary contributions can be made to her daughter Jessicia Sparks to help pay for Brenda's final expenses. Betzler & Thompson Life Story Funeral Homes, 60900 M-40, Paw Paw (269) 657-3870.