Brenda Hathaway, formerly of Rutland, died Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Mesa, Arizona. She was born June 22, 1963, to Robert Milne Hathaway and Suzanne (Dexter) Hathaway, in Rutland. She attended Lincoln Elementary, Rutland Junior, and Rutland Senior High Schools. In 1983, Hathaway earned her degree in business administration from Castleton College — now Vermont State University, Castleton — and was awarded the Dow Jones Marketing and Finance Award.
Her mother, Suzanne, instilled in her family the love of horses. Hathaway was heavily involved in the Wind Riders 4-H Club of Rutland. Working her way up to CHA Master Instructor, she developed a reputation as an in-demand riding instructor. Upon graduating high school, Mountain Top Inn in Chittenden recruited her to develop, manage, and grow their nationally recognized equestrian program.
One of her employees remembers: “Brenda was the most amazingly gentle and kind individual I’ve ever known. A true horse whisperer, gentle in her training of horses and her teaching of many students. She was goofy, silly, smart, selfless.”
For many years, Brenda Hathaway was also the riding director at Camp Catherine Capers, in Wells.
There, she touched many young women’s hearts.
“I met Brenda at Catherine Capers riding camp when I was 12. I was a driven, Type-A rider with a fear of failure. Brenda taught me that mistakes are how we improve and helped me find my joy in learning again. I was blessed to have her as a teacher, mentor, and friend. Brenda and I kept in touch via snail mail. I often wrote to her about my pre-teen problems and challenges. Brenda’s letters validated my feelings and were filled with sage advice to help me navigate these years. I still have every letter she wrote to me; they are priceless treasures. I carry her smile and laughter in my heart,” shared one of her campers and friends.
Hathaway was devoted to Castleton. After graduating, she was hired as an admissions recruiter. She attended college fairs throughout the Northeast, promoting Castleton’s benefits.
She was also responsible for organizing tours for high school guidance counselors, introducing them to various college campuses.
Always the avid rider, she spent her summer vacations near the Bear Claw in Montana, moving cattle on horseback. After a visit to Arizona and seeing the amazing sites, she decided to make Arizona her home; she moved in 1996, settling in Mesa.
There, she embarked on her new career working in the insurance industry, first for Sentry Insurance; she then moved to Scottsdale Insurance, part of the Nationwide Insurance family. Hathaway excelled and was a top-notch adjuster, working in commercial vehicular bodily injury claims. All the while, she maintained her love of horses, spending many weekend hours at “the barn” at Bein Performance Horses.
Early on, a friend introduced her to Saint Timothy’s Catholic Church, Mesa. Converting to Roman Catholicism, she grew in her Christian faith, became a lector, and was promoted to be an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion and Mass Captain.
Eventually, she migrated to the Crosiers, at Crosier Village, a religious order of priests and brothers in Phoenix. There, she became a Crosier Companion, eventually becoming part of the leadership team. She had found her spiritual home, which was her Rock!
Brenda Hathaway’s vigil and funeral mass were held in Mesa and Phoenix, Arizona, respectively, for her Arizona friends and “family.” Here, in Rutland, her life will be celebrated on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Grace Congregational Church, at 1 p.m. A mass will be said for her on Friday, Dec. 20, at Christ The King Church at 4:45 p.m.
Survivors include her older brother, Ernie; her younger sister, Andrea and her husband Jake and son Jack, of Rutland; her younger brother, Robert, and his wife Linda, of Ivoryton, Connecticut.
Please consider a contribution in her memory to Companions in Wholeness at companionsinwholeness.org. They do a wonderful job of feeding Rutland’s homeless population. Brenda Hathaway would be greatly pleased!
