BRENDA MAE SEWELL was born on November 29, 1942 to the late Howard James Gittings and Julia Ann Gittings. She was the second of four children from this union - Howard Sonny, Brenda, Patricia and Rose. Howard preceded her in death. On the morning of Thursday, January 31, 2013, Brenda succumbed to a tragic fire in her home. Brenda was educated in the Baltimore City Public School System. She attended Edmondson High School as a freshman but her interest in sewing inspired her to transfer to Carver Vocational Technical High School from which she graduated in June, 1960. After graduating, Brenda used her sewing skills acquired at Carver to become a seamstress at her first job at London Fog Manufacturing Company. For a time she worked for the Social Security Administration in Woodlawn where she applied her administrative skills. Later, Brenda became a secretary at the Mount Zion United Methodist Church. In the early 1980's, she became the secretary at St. Edward's Roman Catholic Church from which she retired in 2006. In 1964, Brenda married the late John F. Sewell, Sr. From this union were two children, John F. Sewell, Jr. and Cynthia Ann Sewell. Brenda was actively involved in St. Edward's Roman Catholic Church and the church's organizations. She was a member of The Blessed Mother Sodality, Anna Elizabeth Davage Ladies of Grace, Chapter 41, the Gospel Choir and the Usher Board. During her spare time, Brenda enjoyed reading books, sewing, traveling, going to casinos, and solving Word-Finds and Crossword Puzzles. One of the highlights of her life was when she traveled to Rome with the church. Brenda leaves to mourn: her children, John and Cynthia; daughter-in-law, Nicole; two grandchildren, Javod and Sasha; two sisters, Patricia G. Brown and Rose M. Hunt; one uncle, Joseph Coates; two aunts, Alverta Coates and Gaither Coates; four brothers-in-law, Herbert Brown, Sr., A. Thomas Hunt, William Sewell and Wayne Cole; three sisters-in-law, Cecilia Cole, Elsie Neely and Ann Richardson; ten nephews, eighteen nieces, numerous great-nieces and great-nephews; a close family friend, Valerie Taylor; and a host of other relatives and friends.