Brenda Lee Burk passed away on May 14, 2025, at the Greenville Memorial Hospital in Greenville South Carolina due to respiratory complications. Born on August 27th, 1967, she was the youngest of three children born to William and Bonnie Burk. 

Brenda was preceded in death by her parents and nephew Maximillian Burk. She has many family members who will miss her dearly. These include: siblings Brian Burk and Beverly (Steven) McElroy, nieces Megan (James) Apitz, Michaela McElroy, and Mariah (Michael) Carriere, nephews Matthew McElroy and Spencer (Gabriella) Burk, great nieces Addison and Isabella Apitz and Hayden Carriere, great nephews Ryker and Benson Burk, aunts Barbara Bulgrin, Sharon Burk, Mary Campion, Regina Burk, and Carol Burk and uncles Kenneth (Christine) Bulgrin, Keith (Theresa) Bulgrin, and Dennis (Rosemary) Burk, and foreign exchange sisters from Slovenia Marjana (Gorazd) Kalan and Petra Kalan.

Highly intelligent and career driven; Brenda graduated from Markesan High School in 1985. She received her degree in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1990. From there she went on to get her Master’s degree, in Library and Information Science at UW Madison in 1994.

Having a lifelong passion for history, Brenda worked as an Archivist for the Wisconsin Historical Society until 1997. From there she moved to Indianapolis where she worked for IUPUI as a Philanthropy Archivist until 2014. Then, always seeking new challenges and opportunities Brenda set out to work at Clemson University as a Records Officer, where she worked until her passing. Brenda was always involved in her community, and she served on the Board of Directors for the Pendleton Historic Foundation in Pendleton South Carolina.

In her free time Brenda enjoyed reading, traveling, trying new foods and spending time with family and friends. Brenda was a Wisconsin born and bred and so even while living elsewhere, she remained a passionate lifelong supporter of Wisconsin sports, especially the Packers. During trips back home she would stock up on Spotted Cow and Wisconsin cheeses to be shared with friends who otherwise didn’t have access to these Wisconsin delicacies. Brenda was always social and outgoing and able to make friends wherever she went. She loved trivia and games, frequently joining her friends for Monday night trivia tournaments. She also loved playing euchre with family during the holidays and playing Wordle everyday with her sister Bev.  She will be dearly missed by all those whose lives she touched.

Visitation will be from 9-11 AM on Friday May 23, 2025, at the Grasse funeral home in Pardeeville, Wisconsin with the funeral service beginning at 11 AM. The burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery.