Brenda Linn Zaloudek

AIKEN, SC - It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Mrs. Brenda Zaloudek, devoted wife, mother, and grandmother on April 15, 2026, at the age of 78. Brenda was born in Enid, Oklahoma to Faydean and Garwin Dean Thomas. She went to Oklahoma State University where she met and married the love of her life, Daniel Zaloudek of Kremlin, Oklahoma. They moved to Wichita, Kansas where they raised their family, then retired to Aiken, South Carolina to be closer to their grandchildren. They lived a life of love and adventure, holding hands for 60 years, never letting go through all the seasons of life.

Brenda was a gifted artist whose talents in ceramics, textile art, and painting reflected the beauty she carried within. Everything she touched, she made more beautiful. One of her felted dog sculptures was gifted to an astronaut and now circles the Earth aboard the International Space Station, a testament to how far her creativity could reach. As an active member of the Aiken Artist Guild, her paintings were exhibited widely, touching all who experienced them.

Brenda is lovingly remembered by her husband, Dan Zaloudek; her daughters, Jennifer Zaloudek and Julie Anderson (Joe); and her granddaughters, Alexandra and Elizabeth Hurd. She is also survived by her sisters, Karen Howe, Melodee Thomas, and Carol Belcher, and her twin brother, Bruce Thomas.

A Funeral Liturgy will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at Shellhouse Funeral Home. The family will receive friends following the service.

Donations can be made to the Aiken Rotary Foundation Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 685, Aiken, SC 29802, in memory of Brenda Zaloudek because of Dan and Brenda’s commitment to helping high school students bring their dreams of a college education to life.

SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC 29801