Brenda Kay Hager

Brenda Kay Hager, age 62, formerly of Madison, WV, was pronounced dead at her home in Huntington, WV on December 31, 2018. She had been battling cancer since May.

Brenda was born February 8, 1956 to the late Leslie & Pearl Bryant Hager.

She was a 1974 graduate of Scott High School and earned a Bachelor of Music Education from West Virginia Wesleyan in 1980. She was a member of the Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity and enjoyed being involved in the theatre department as an actor, and performing in the WVWC Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Dr. David Milburn.

Brenda was a member and former music director at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Madison. She was also a member of the American Choral Directors’ Association, WV Music Educators’ Association, the National Association of Music Educators, and B.A.R.C. (Boone Animal Rescue Coalition).

Brenda’s family owned Hager’s Department Store on Main Street in Madison for many years. Brenda helped her mom operate the store for several decades.

Although Brenda was an alto sax major in college, she spent the most of her career utilizing her excellent vocal skills. She performed with the Appalachian Community Theater in Madison as an actor and music director. Brenda served as the Musical Director with the Aracoma Story in Logan on several productions including the “Wizard of Oz” and “Aracoma Story”. She taught private piano and voice lessons and mentored many young musicians. Brenda was a charter member of the Southern West Virginia Community Band based in Danville. She was also a published poet and writer and was commissioned to write for Blue Mountain greeting cards.

As a music educator, Brenda served in Boone and Logan counties. She taught at Van High School, Wharton Grade and Wharton Junior High in Boone and Lake, Justice, Dehue, Stollings, and Verdunville Elementary Schools and Chapmanville Middle School in Logan. She spent the past 21 years inspiring, guiding, and counseling the choir and theatre students at Chapmanville Regional High School. As a much respected educator, she was a dedicated, hard-working, and beloved teacher.

Other than her students and fur babies, her interests and diversions included games on her tablet, the world of Star Trek, and “Wicked, the Movie”.

Anyone who knew Brenda understood that she was an avid animal advocate and was one of the founding leaders of B.A.R.C. She traveled hundreds of miles rescuing animals and spent countless hours caring for them and raising money for their care.

Brenda is now reunited with her mother Pearl, and her beloved Barney. Survivors include cousins James (Jennifer) Bryant and Barbara Hill of Madison, and Donna Mears. She had special and trusted friends; Sherry Cooke, Robin Bunch Bailey, and Susie Farley Yeates. She will be missed by her 10 beloved dogs: Dax, Max, Buffy, Molly, Pippy, Sassy, Punkin, Buddy, Maia, and Doodle, hundreds of former students who adored her, the faculty and staff of Chapmanville Regional High School and a host of friends and former classmates.

Two services will be held on Saturday, January 12, 2019. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Madison at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Monsignor Dean G. Borgmeyer presiding. There will then be visitation at 12:30 p.m. and a service at 1:30 in the Chapmanville High School auditorium. Burial at Boone Memorial Park, Madison, WV will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the CRHS Choir or Theatre Fund.

Handley Funeral Home of Danville has been entrusted with her arrangements.