Brenda Louise Barrow Sullivan

Brenda Louise Barrow Sullivan, 82, died unexpectedly in the Moore County Regional Hospital on Friday, January 9th. Born on February 6, 1943 in Kernersville, North Carolina, she was the oldest child of the late Allen Lowrey and Elizabeth "Tip" Barrow.

Brenda attended Kernersville High School and then the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She married her first husband, Spencer DuWayne Willard, after college and they settled first in Rowland, North Carolina and then Laurinburg, North Carolina. She taught business administration classes at Scotland High School before moving into administrative role of Assistant Principal there. Later, after moving to Hendersonville, North Carolina, she served as Assistant Principal at Hendersonville High, then as the Principal of Bruce Drysdale Elementary School there before retiring.

In 1991, she married Paul Warren Sullivan, Jr. and together they enjoyed 14 years of a grand adventure that spanned the globe. They loved to explore and dine in Henderson County just as much as they loved to do the same on Holland America Line cruises on the high seas.

When Paul passed away from a heart attack in 2005, Brenda successfully pursued travel agent certification and continued to travel the globe. In 2018, she circumnavigated the globe on a world cruise lasting four months, living out their shared motto, "Life is Good."

During her final years in Hendersonville, she made many friends living at Lake Point Landing and in her role as a docent at Biltmore Estate. In 2020, Brenda moved to Southern Pines, North Carolina to live at St. Joseph of the Pines at Pine Knoll and made even more friends over glasses of wine and matches of Bridge.

Survivors include her brother Scott Barrow and his wife, Joyce, her family, Derrick Duane Willard and his wife, Jennifer, of Raleigh, North Carolina, Grace Elizabeth "Beth" Willard Bockoven and her husband, Paul, of Hoffman, North Carolina, and Margaret Louise Sullivan, of New York, New York, Paul Warren Sullivan III, of Maxton, North Carolina, and Willis Ferrell Sullivan and his wife, Amanda, of Anderson, South Carolina; grandchildren, Andrew "Mac" Willard, Carson Barlow, Anna Grace Willard, Cecilia Bockoven, Camden White, Lauren Sullivan, Caroline Sullivan, Katherine Sullivan, and Lindsay Sullivan; and great-grandchildren Kashlyn Jeffery and Scarlett Belle Barlow. Family by choice include Zachary Jennings Walker and Kelly Powell Walker, of Boone, North Carolina, and their daughter, Lucy Walker.

Those closest to her affectionately knew her as "Beeba" or "Beebs." Her family will always remember Brenda by this Maya Angelou quote that hung in her home, "Life is not measured by the amount of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away."

Beeba loved a good party. A celebration of life will be held at the Clubhouse of Pinehurst National No. 9, at 12:30 pm on February 7th, 2026. Food and beverages will be served. The address is 1 Royal Troon Dr, Pinehurst, NC 28374.

The family wishes to express their eternal gratitude to the staff of St. Joseph of the Pines at Pine Knoll for their care of mom in her final years. In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make a donation to the employee appreciation fund for the Pine Knoll facility in Brenda's memory. Please address correspondence to St. Joseph of the Pines, 590 Central Drive, Southern Pines, North Carolina 28387.