Brenda Rochelle Cooke

Brenda Rochelle Cooke, 61, passed away on Saturday June 1st, 2024 at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee, IL with her daughter by her side. Brenda was born on March 1, 1963 in Globe, AZ, the daughter of James and Colesta (Upshaw) Cooke. But at the tender age of 3 years old, she moved from Cibecue, AZ where her parents taught, to Phoenix, AZ with her family where she was raised. In 1981, Brenda graduated with honors from East High School in Phoenix, AZ. Where she took advanced classes and enjoyed playing tennis. Brenda enjoyed dancing and having a socializing, as she had a personality that sparkled. Her favorite pastime was going to East Texas to her mother’s family land enjoying her cousins but also getting wisdom from the elders in the family such as from her Grandmother Velma Upshaw, as well as her many uncles and Aunts. In between graduating from high school and going to college, she took time off to care for her ailing father, James. Then in 1986, Brenda graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX with a degree in Accounting and a minor in Information Technology. She later Graduated from Southern Methodist with her Master’s in Business administration. In 1987, Brenda had her first and only child, a daughter N’Tricia Cooke who she devoted her life providing love, support, guidance, and many life lessons. Brenda worked as an accountant early in her career as a staff accountant at Deloitte Touche and interned with Ross Perot as she was building the foundation to launch her own entrepreneurial dreams. Her dream was to own her own business, but also take large corporation business principles to help small businesses to get structured for success and growth. Brenda was a true entrepreneur, in the mid 1990’s she own an accounting firm called Dynamic Business Services. In recent years, she owned Bourbonnais Consulting Group, Tricenda LLC, and an international fuel business she was building for the last 2 years called Soledad Energy LLC. Brenda used her platform as an entrepreneur to inspire those she worked with to go after their greatest and wildest dreams. She inspired others to believe in themselves, to live up to their fullest potential and she embodied that as a perfect example. She is survived by her daughter N’Tricia C. Cooke, her sisters Velma Cooke, Denise Washington, and Carolyn Malone. She’s also survived by her many nieces and a nephew. She was preceded in death by her parents James and Colesta Cooke, and her brother Tyrone Cooke.Her grand-parents Neil and Velma Upshaw. Brenda will especially be remembered by her unique gift of intelligence, magical personality, willingness to help anyone in need, the kindness she shared, and her ability to nurture everyone she met. Visitation Monday June 17th, at 5p-7pm at Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home in Bourbonnais, IL. Located at 295 Main St. NW, Bourbonnais, IL 60914.

Brenda Rochelle Cooke

March 1, 1963 - June 1, 2024