Brenda D. Fuller

Brenda D. Fuller of Salamanca, NY passed away with family by her side on Friday, February 28, 2025 at the Charlotte House Comfort Care facility in North Java.

Brenda was born September 14, 1945 in Warsaw, NY, and from that day forward the world was a better place. She was the daughter of Kenneth and Shirley Collver Fuller. Brenda grew up in the metropolis of Little Valley and experienced all the joys that a small community has to offer. Summers were spent with friends and riding the train back to her Warsaw stomping grounds to spend time with cousins. Winter free time was spent at the ice pond, skating, and watching the races. While attending school, Brenda focused on academics, chorus, acting, cheerleading, and band. She played multiple instruments including the flute, piccolo and piano. Brenda rounded out her education in 1963, graduating as Salutatorian.

Brenda paused her career to start a family. Once the youngest shuffled off to kindergarten, she began focusing on her career. While working at Fisher’s Big Wheel in Salamanca, she attended Jamestown Community College, ultimately taking a position with the Cattaraugus Wyoming Head Start Program. She remained at Head Start until her retirement.

It was during this time that she met her forever partner, James “Jim” R. Halterman Sr. Together they shared a beautiful life, with a wonderful, blended family. They set the gold standard for support, kindness, and unconditional love.

Brenda had a zest for life. Her hobbies, interests, and past times are too numerous to count. She was an avid reader, inspiring many to pick up a book, and was a regular fixture at the Salamanca Public Library. She was an exceptional cook, even though she never mastered gravy, and a phenomenal baker – known far and wide for peanut butter fudge, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, and dream bars. She truly was a tea snob and crossword puzzle fanatic, often enjoying both at the same time. For those who knew Brenda, she was artsy, creative, highly intelligent, a fantastic seamstress, and always looking for new decorating ideas. Much to Jim’s chagrin, she was also single-handedly responsible for the Halterman Farm’s zip code’s worth of pot-bellied pigs. During the summer, she could be seen with the warm sun on her face and a good book on her lap despite her frequent exasperation with the wood chucks, deer, and rabbits noshing on her precious posies. Brenda was also a Buffalo Bills fanatic and a college football fan to her core. She thought that this might be the year….again.

Most will remember Brenda for her decades of social work, her time in the Kiwanis Club and position on the Board of the Salamanca Youth Bureau. For others, she will be remembered for much more – her compassion, kindness, intelligence, integrity, sense of humor (albeit twisted and skewed), and devotion to family and friends. She encouraged others to find their purpose, chase their happiness, follow their dreams, live life to the fullest, laugh often, dance like no one was watching, sing their hearts out and love deeply.

Brenda leaves behind a son, Jeff (Julie) Banner, of Orange, CA; two daughters, Jodi (Bruce Dinnen) Fuller, and Tracy (Dana) Fuller-Meek, both of Salamanca; two granddaughters, Alicia and Abigail Meek; two great-grandchildren, Diana and Peter Webster, and her wonderful, blended family, James (Tammy) Halterman Jr., John (Liane) Halterman, grandchildren, Jake, Sydney, Courtney, Hunter, and Josh; special nieces Tara and Hannah; and special friends, Burth and Linda Bartlett. All have heavy hearts are miss her light in this world.

Brenda was predeceased by her parents, Kenneth and Shirley, a daughter, Julie Anderson, a son-in law, Robert Anderson, “step” son, Joseph Halterman, and her forever love, James Halterman Sr.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of O’Rourke & O’Rourke Funeral Home, 25 River Street, Salamanca. In keeping with Brenda’s wishes, there was no visitation. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial donations be sent to Charlotte House Comfort Care, 4316 Route 98, North Java, NY 14113, or the Salamanca Public Library, 155 Wildwood Ave. Salamanca, NY 14779.

E-condolences can be sent to orourke.orourkefh@gmail.com or posted to facebook.com/onofh