Northfield, VT

Brenda Johnston Naatz Bandy passed gracefully on Wednesday, June 25th, 2025, surrounded by love, laughter, and music. Born on November 4th, 1939, in St. Johnsbury to Doris and Charles Naatz, she was an excellent daughter, sister, and occasional farmhand on their family dairy farm.  Among Brenda's many gifts was the ability to make life feel simultaneously sacred and as amusing as a Carol Burnett skit. Her beauty was only rivaled by her talent, humor, and boundless care for others. As Miss Vermont, she performed a side-splitting Victor Borge comedy routine on the piano at the 1960 Miss America Pageant, winning the talent portion of the competition.  She earned scholarships for her creative skills and attended Rochester Institute of Technology to study Interior Design before returning to Vermont to care for her mother in her final years.

While Miss Vermont, she also won the attention of her assigned Cadet escort, Bill Currier, with whom she quickly fell in love. They married and traveled the world while raising three rambunctious children before settling in upstate New York. There, she was a church organist, choir director, a full-time mother, and the one-woman powerhouse of an 11-acre horse farm, where she boarded over a dozen horses and taught riding—all while keeping her sense of humor (and most of her sanity).

She played every instrument she encountered with otherworldly skill, though her favorites include the pipe organ at the Peacham Congregational Church, piano, bagpipes, and the accordion. In addition to her endless musical and performing talents, she was a gifted craftsperson. She excelled at creating model horse-drawn carriages and miniature dollhouses

along with all of the delicate painting, sculpture, and leatherwork that entailed.  A lifelong equestrian, Brenda's love for horses easily withstood a lifetime of shoveling manure.

She won several accolades and blue ribbons for her Morgan horses—including one New York State Grand Champion Morgan mare, Vanderland Gabrielle "Gabby"—and taught all of her children and grandchildren how to ride (and clean the stalls). Her deep love for animals was unmatched; even the most skittish stray cats grew to return her affections tenfold.

Brenda was a skillful and beloved teacher and returned to school to earn her music teaching degree in 1986 at the age of 47. She taught music to all grades at Blue Mountain Union, where she met her second husband, Arnold Bandy, a social studies teacher and athletic director. Together, they shared great pride in teaching and learning with their students. With endless

energy and enthusiasm, she led her students to create elaborate, impressive musical productions.

Her pride in teaching was well earned, as she taught all those around her how to make things that mattered—music, art, a home, a life—by hand, by heart, and with just the right amount of humor.

For Brenda, the sun rose and set over the children in her life. She is survived by her beloved children, Tonya Currier and her husband Dan Griggs, Miles Currier and his wife Cheryl, Matthew Bandy and his wife Anne, and Auburn Watersong; her niece, Jennifer Gilman and her husband Peter Pelissier; her adored grandchildren, Tia Hohman and her husband Rusty, Gabe

Harter, Emma Harter, and Liam Currier; her great-niece Kelsey Gilman and her great-nephews Teddy Gilman and Chad Larabee; her dearest and only great-grandchildren, Eden and Ezra Hohman. Brenda leaves behind a sprawling chosen family of dear friends and creative kin who will carry her memory forward with laughter, music, and love.

In her passing, Brenda joins her husband, Arnold Bandy, her dear sisters Carolyn and Frannie, her beloved nephew Charlie "Thumper" Gilman, many close girlfriends, as well as dozens of spoiled horses, ponies, cats, dogs, and at least one goat waiting patiently for her to return with treats.

A celebration of Brenda's life will be held at Peacham Congregational Church on August 2nd at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, adopt a cat, laugh until your sides hurt, or make something beautiful with your hands and your heart.

Donations in Brenda's honor can be made to Mayo Healthcare, 71 Richardson Street, Northfield, VT 05663 or Kingdom Animal Shelter - Just for Cats, 1161 Portland Street, St. Johnsbury, VT, 05819