Brenda Manu was as bright and cheerful as her paintings.
She was a prolific painter, and her murals can be seen on the walls that were behind the now-demolished Mash Trust building on Main St (Manawatū Guardian, June 25).
November 16, 2016, Brenda died after a lengthy battle with bowelcancer.
Brenda's daughter Renee recalls how devastated she was to lose her best friend.
Time passes, but for Renee speaking about her mother brought back the memories of a determined, practical and brave woman.
Following the diagnosis, Brenda bought a simple pine coffin from a man in Foxton, and painted it.
"Come and see my coffin," she told Renee and her friends.
The family were a little surprised and concerned, but accepted this is what she wanted.
No fuss, a quick send off and then everyone could celebrate her life.
As with the way Brenda lived her colourful and joyful life, she painted herself reading a book at one end of the coffin, and on the other, a monarch butterfly and flowers.
Brenda Manu painted her simple pine coffin.
Brenda's close friend Tania Southee who worked with her at Living Plus in the vocational service, said the places she painted in the Main St murals were where they took their clients.
It was at the Learning Connexion in Wellington that Brenda found her painting stroke.
In their home she painted a kitchen wall, and when Brenda died, the Housing Corp cut out the wall. Renee says she does not know where the wall went, but she knows it was not destroyed.
