Brenda Kwasniewski

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Brenda Joan Kwasniewski, 63, of Faulkton passed away peacefully at her home on October 26, 2013, after a brief battle with metastatic breast cancer.

Memorial Service was held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, October 31, 2013 at the United Church of Faulkton with Pastor Bill Hoffman officiating. Burial followed in the Oakland Cemetery, Seneca. A prayer service was held at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at the church.

Brenda Kwasniewski was born April 6, 1950, to Frank and Rhea Joyce (Jansen) Barondeau in Faulkton, SD. She spent the first year of her life on a small farm near Seneca, SD.  The next year the family moved to the family farm seven miles southeast of Onaka, SD.

Brenda started her education at the O’Neil Township Country School with teacher Mrs. Awde.  In Brenda’s personal library that consisted of hundreds of books, she still had the dictionary she received from Mrs. Awde as a Christmas present. Brenda later went on to write the story of how she asked for the dictionary and won a writing contest with this story. She finished her elementary education in Onaka.  She attended Cresbard High School and as a freshman participated in the State Fair Spelling Contest in Huron.  She could always remember the word she misspelled. After graduating Salutatorian from Cresbard High School, she attended Northern State College where she graduated cum laude in January of 1972 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education with a Major in Business and Minor in Mathematics.

On January 15, 1972, she married Duane Kwasniewski of Webster, SD. In 1977, Brenda graduated with a Master’s Degree in Secondary Administration from Northern State College. Brenda, better known as Mrs. K. to her students, completed her practice teaching in Webster, SD; then moved to Bridgewater, SD where over the course of her 18-year employment was a Business teacher and Secondary Principal. In 1989, she relocated with her family to Faulkton, SD where she continued as a teacher and Secondary Principal for 16 years. Brenda found great joy in helping any student in whatever way she could, as she was an educator who truly cared about the young lives she touched. She was always delighted when past students would return to share the stories of their adult lives. Even though she helped many students to achieve their goals, she remained ever humble of her contributions to others. After retiring from the school district, she began working for the South Dakota State’s Attorney’s office of Faulk County and Bormann Law Office. She was a valuable asset there due to her organizational and letter composing skills, accounting background, vast knowledge of local history, capacity to empathize with either side of a dispute, ability to stay grounded, and a great sense of humor.

Her professional honors include being a member of Pi Omega Pi (honorary business fraternity), Sigma Delta Epsilon (honorary math and science fraternity), and Secretary of the Southeast Area Secondary Principals. She was a member of the Southeast Area Secondary Principals, South Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals, and the South Dakota Education Associate/NEA.

In Brenda’s personal time, she delighted in doing cross-stitch pictures, collecting frogs, solving Sudoku puzzles, watching westerns and true crime shows, talking to and about her grandchildren, reading, visiting museums and family, and educating herself about historical events.

Brenda is survived by her husband Duane, Faulkton; her son Devon (Carrie) Kwasniewski, Watertown; daughter Amber (Jason) Overgard, Ellicott City, MD; grandchildren Jaci Anne and Britney Theresa Kwasniewski; Stedman Garhardt and Aurelia Isis Overgard; her parents, Frank and Rhea Joyce Barondeau, Faulkton; a sister Jeryl Dee (Greg) Robinson, Sioux Falls; and five brothers Randy (Janelle) Barondeau, Frederick; Jay (Charlotte) Barondeau, Onaka; Jan Barondeau, Onaka; Darren (Nancy) Barondeau, Clear Lake; and Vaughn Barondeau, Onaka.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Jay and Reta (Roseland) Jansen; Frank Xavier, Sr. and Magdalena (Goetz) Barondeau; an infant brother, Dana Ryan; two infant grandchildren, Tristan David Kwasniewski and Whisper Linea Overgard; and a niece, Katie Ann Barondeau.

Luce Funeral Home of Faulkton has been entrusted with Brenda’s arrangements.