Mrs. Brenda Kaye Huddleston Tarter, age 84, passed away peacefully, leaving a legacy of love, service, and steadfast faith. Born on July 4, 1941, in Detroit, Michigan, to George Robert Huddleston and Susie Viola Young Huddleston, Brenda’s life was marked by generosity, hospitality, and devotion.
On August 9, 1964, Brenda married the love of her life, David Elliott Tarter. Together they built their family on faith, kindness, and life’s simple joys. Brenda graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Tennessee Tech and earned a reputation for skill, diligence, and meticulous care. She worked as a secretary and served with excellence in roles at Sears, Wal-Mart, Johnson Tire, and the Caywood School cafeteria. Whether at work, at church, or at home, Brenda brought order, compassion, and a servant’s heart.
Brenda’s gifts shone brightest in her home and church. A superb cook and gifted organizer, she gathered family and friends around her table, where meals were served with warmth and conversation flowed freely. With the help of her daughter-in-law, she even published her own family cookbook. Brenda was a devoted mother whose love for children, especially her boys, was evident in the way she nurtured, listened, and served. She delighted in scrapbooking, cooking, and reading, and she found her greatest joy in time spent with her 17 grandchildren.
Her faith was the cornerstone of her life. Brenda served faithfully in the churches she attended across the years, using the gifts God gave her to love on children and to cook for her fellow church members. She spent many years as an active member of Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Lebanon; First Baptist Church in Lexington; Long Hollow Church in Hendersonville; and most recently, Milestone Church in Keller, Texas. Wherever Brenda went, she brought a steady kindness and a heart ready to serve.
Brenda was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Roy Huddleston, Thomas Huddleston, Lois Huddleston Casamer, Mary Huddleston Lane, George Huddleston, Jr., Charles Huddleston, and Helen Huddleston Pope.
She is survived by her husband, David Elliott Tarter; her sister, Claudine Huddleston Robinson; her sons James Ballinger Tarter (Melanie), Brian Kelly Tarter (Stephanie), Stephen Wesley Tarter (Becky), and Noel David Tarter (Amy); grandchildren Lindsey Marie White, Thomas Andrew Johnson, Laura Johnson Baggett (Colin), Jon Wesley Keats Tarter, Abbey Rose Tarter, James Ballinger Tarter, Jr., Emma Cathryn Tarter, Grayson Cade Tarter (Claire), Gage Colton Tarter, Henry Alden Tarter, Georgia Kate Estelle Tarter, Chloe Caroline Tarter, Jack Isaac Truman Tarter, MiMi Noelle Tarter, Cooper John Tarter, Reeve Elliott Tarter, and Liesel Genevieve Tarter; and one great-grandchild, Annalise Mae Baggett.
A visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at Ligon & Bobo Funeral Home in Lebanon, Tennessee. The funeral service will follow at 12:00 p.m. at the same location. Interment will be at Wilson County Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to Long Hollow Church in Hendersonville.
Brenda’s life was a faithful witness to love—love of God, love of family, and love of neighbor. Those who knew her will remember her gentle smile, her generous kitchen, her wise counsel, and the way she made every person feel seen and cherished. Her legacy continues in the lives of her children, grandchildren, and the many friends and church families who were blessed by her presence.
LIGON & BOBO FUNERAL HOME of Lebanon (615) 444-2142 www.ligonbobo.com
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