Brenda Hillier 1931- 2022
A Soroptimist stalwart described as “a tour de force in the community” was laid to rest on the same day as HM The Queen Elizabeth II.
Brenda Hillier, who died on August 29 at the age of 91, was Club President of Soroptimist International St Albans and District in 1988/89 and 1995/6 and club secretary and regional officer for many years, and was described as an inspiration to many during this time. Brenda was a strong proponent of women helping women.
She featured regularly in the pages of the Herts Advertiser over the years – please see the scanned newspaper clip about her work in the local community.
Brenda and her family lived in Redbourn for 40 years, and she was a central figure in the village. A renowned cook, there were always extras at the 
dinner table and anyone was welcome, a tradition that she maintained throughout her life. Her barbecues were legendary – often raising much-needed funds for local causes.
Brenda was a founder member of the Redbourn Association, aimed at creating a village environment, and it worked. Redbourn triumphantly resisted the threat of being swallowed up by neighbouring towns. “Ask Brenda” became a byword in Redbourn and, when the prayed-for-bypass was opened, she used her skills to organise a street party in the High Street, which up to that moment had put fear and dread into pedestrians.
After her husband died in 2004 she moved to California to be closer to her daughters, dying peacefully of natural causes with her daughter Carol by her side.
She would help anyone who needed help. Some of her favourite sayings were ‘take life as it comes’ and ‘when one door shuts another one opens’. She said she only believed in looking forward. She loved connecting with people and made many lifelong friends at all stages of her life.
The photo above is from when Brenda (centre) was on one of her many visits back to the UK and visited the St Albans Soroptimist Club in 2014 (Jean Eaton is on the left and Hilary Ratcliffe OBE on the right) – the Club was celebrating Hilary’s OBE for services to women’s equality internationally.
Brenda was still making friends in her assisted living home up until she died, and was loved by all the staff.