Brandi Faye Wilson

Brandi Faye Wilson, 24, of Bennett, CO was taken from her family and friends on February 18, 2018 in Aurora, CO.  She was born on January 20, 1994 to Jeff and Stephanie (Toft) Wilson in Aurora.  

Daughter. Sister. Granddaughter. Niece. Friend. Best Friend. Brandi Faye Wilson, was a shining beacon of light to everyone who crossed her path.  

From early in her life, Brandi exuded confidence and vivacity.  Not willing to be the odd-girl out or tread behind in her big brother, Porter’s, footprints, Brandi joined the pee-wee baseball team as a little tike.  This wasn’t an all girls’ league, this was the co-ed team, and Brandi had her sights set on being catcher.  The caveat, Coach jokingly told her, was that she needed to wear a cup to be catcher.  Taking the coach on his word and being determined to snag her desired position, Brandi raced out of the field to tell her Mom and Dad the exciting news: they needed to get her a cup!   

Another occasion that demonstrated Brandi’s prowess was when she was enlisted to teach her Dad’s wrestling team, a group of young, rowdy boys how to execute a proper pushup.  And in true Brandi style, these were no girly pushups, they were serious, military-style, on-your-toes, push-ups.   Brandi’s enthusiasm for sports continued throughout her life.  Whether she was playing volleyball, basketball or shredding the speed bag like no other girl could.  Most of all she loved supporting her big brother during his basketball games, which she enjoyed watching perhaps even more than playing the sport herself.  Coaching a game from behind a clipboard, Brandi radiated her love for the game with intense energy.   

Brandi’s energy and vigor for life could also be seen, even at a very young age, through her dancing. Brandi could boogie (almost) before she could walk.  Country line dancing, two-stepping and the Electric Slide were some of her favorites, and there was no venue to small or too large for her moves.  Whether it was the living room floor, her big brother’s wedding, or the clubs downtown, Brandi could dance the night away and was the envy of all who watched. 

Her liveliness and zest were not strictly for the sports courts or dance floors:  Brandi also carried these traits with her into the classroom.  After receiving her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Colorado, Brandi thrived every day teaching the kids at Isabella Bird Community School.  She loved working with and encouraging kindergarteners to grow and expand their young minds.  Her charismatic personality and tenderness, had a way of putting kids at ease and making them truly enjoy learning.   

Brandi’s compassion was also exhibited though her love for all things fluffy and furry.  She adored dogs and in particular, Toby, her long-haired Chihuahua, the pugs (Zoe, Trixie and Pugsley) and Daisy, the Golden Retriever; she treasured the baby calves on the farm – many of which Brandi christened with names like Ethel and Lucy; and she enjoyed playing with her Grandma’s kittens.  Her sister-in-law, Maria, recalls fondly the day she met Brandi, who happened to be fishing in Bill’s back yard for large-mouth bass.  Brandi had just caught a massive bass and was grinning from ear to ear.  It was also here where Brandi played matchmaker, encouraging her brother to ask Maria on a date.  Being the animal-lover that she was, this fish, of course, was promptly dropped back into the water to live another day.  

As you can imagine, hunting was never in the tenderhearted Brandi’s wheelhouse, but she did, ironically, love shooting her gun…and her taser.  As luck would have it, Porter found himself on the wrong end of the taser one fateful day a few years back.  When Brandi asked him if he thought the taser worked, he said, “nah”.  So, naturally, as any sister would do, she aimed, fired, and tased him.  It sent Porter to the ground.  Yep, the taser worked!   

Even though Brandi had a tomboy side, her favorite color was pink.  All shades of pink. In fact, pink was quite possibly the sole reason she never took after her brother on the wrestling mat, since singlets only came in black, not in her signature color.  As a toddler, Brandi was the proud owner of a shiny pink Barbie Jeep. It was her prize possession – no one was allowed to drive her jeep except for Jesse Stemo who had the lone honor of cruzing with Brandi, and her Jeep, around the block. Her favorite flower was the bright and happy “Crazy Daisy” and dressing up for high school homecomings and proms were annual highlights that brought immense joy to her life.  Nail polish, makeup and taking that perfect picture or selfie were a few of Brandi’s favorite things, as was a Vanilla Latte from Starbucks. 

From an early age, Brandi was always quoting lines from her favorite songs or movies and one movie in particular from which she received a special moniker from her Dad.  As a youngster, Brandi enjoyed Dink, The Little Dinosaur series which inspired Jeff’s special name for Brandi: Dink.  “Taking care of biscuits”, aka “taking care of business,” was a classic in the Wilson household, as were lines from the Christmas Vacation series, such as “Save the neck for me, Clark”.  The nineties hit series Seinfeld was Brandi’s favorite TV show and she could often be heard recounting the line “No soup for you!”.  Always witty, Brandi found humor in many forms.  Her favorite comedian, Rodney Carrington, had a few lines about “bring it on” that Brandi used a time or two on the basketball court, and immediately following the annual Christmas prayer, Brandi would often breakout in the hoky-poky to liven the mood.  There were numerous inside family jokes that stemmed from Brandi’s thirst for a good laugh. 

With her knack for the eccentric and outrageous, Brandi also loved drama, music, and a good costume.  Being the talker that she was with sizable lung capacity, in the sixth grade, Brandi decisively opted to play the tuba for Mrs. Ktizman’s band class, but later settled on the smaller, but no lesser in the realm of lung capacity, French horn.  And whether it be Halloween, dressing up at Isabella Bird in support of her students or just being goofy, Brandi made a costume her own.  On one occasion, when the high school was worried about the costumes (or lack thereof) that the girls might have done for Halloween, Brandi took the occasion to dress up as Star War’s Darth Vader, surprising one of her teacher’s favorite characters. As you can imagine, Brandi was draped in her costume from head-to-toe, barely recognizable to all who dared approach her.  Cat in the Hat, the Salt shaker from Pepper and Salt, or the latest and greatest superhero were just numerous personas which Brandi would make her own.   

A true American, Brandi was extremely patriotic and loved cars.  From the Impala that her Grandparents gave her, to her Chevy HHR, Brandi loved getting behind the wheel, even when it included a new go-cart, which her dad bought her for her birthday one year, when what she really wanted was a set of Hello Kitty press-on finger nails.  Pillows and cushions were placed behind her, so she could reach the peddles and newly clad with nails impressed with Hello Kitty on them, thanks to mom, Brandi would take the go-cart around the yard with abandon. 

Equipped with her genuine personality and strong sense of self, Brandi knew no stranger.  Her welcoming smile went on for miles and would draw people in, making all feel immediately at ease.  This ability to meet and unite people provided Brandi with a vast and loyal network of friends.  Brandi cherished her long-time friends from Bennett and was wildly proud to call herself a Bennett Tiger. But she also expanded her horizon, building amazing new kinships with her roommates from college – these years being some of the best in her life.  Her friends meant the world to her.  Her best friend, Shelby Demoney, was thought of as a sister and confidant. 

Most of all, Brandi loved her family.   She cherished her relationships with her aunts and uncles and absolutely adored her Grandparents. She and Grandpa Larry had a particularly special bond, one that most often included ice cream…on a cone; and she loved to reminisce about the family vacation to Disney World with her Grandma and Grandpa Wilson and would always make sure her Grandpa Wilson had his Root Beer.  Brandi was the number one fan and supporter of her big brother, Porter, and she and her mom, Stephanie, had an impenetrable mother-daughter tie.  On his birthday, Brandi proclaimed on her social media account that she was beyond blessed for her dad, Jeff, who she called the “most amazing man in the world”.    

Brandi Faye Wilson.  Confident. Vivacious. Enthusiastic. Supporter. Boogier. Charismatic. Compassionate. Tomboy. Girly-girl. Dink. Jokester. Witty. Eccentric. American. Loyal friend. Loving family member.  

Brandi's guardian angel Mona Moritz, always riding shotgun, will forever have a partner riding shotgun for you! 

Loved. Missed. Always remembered and honored.  

Brandi is survived by her parents, Jeff and Stephanie Wilson of Bennett; brother, Porter Wilson and wife Maria of Bennett; grandparents, Larry and Helen Toft of Bennett and Dale and Joan Wilson of Sand Springs, OK; a loving extended family; and many friends. 

Services will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2018 in the Bennett High School auditorium with visitation at 9:00 a.m. and her Life Celebration Service at 10:00 a.m.  Interment will follow at the Mountview Cemetery in Bennett.

Memories and photos of Brandi and condolences to her family may be shared at www.lovefuneralhomes.com .  Memorial Contributions in Brandi's memory may be made to https://www.gofundme.com/brandi-wilson-memorial-donation.