The Charity (Knit 4 Lives) is dedicated to my sister-in-law Brenda Rasinski. Brenda was a passionate knitter, crocheter and a quilter. She was taken from us too soon and left a deep void in our lives. Brenda Marie Rasinski was born in Detroit, Michigan on July 20, 1951. She was one of four girls in an Irish Catholic family and had a wonderful life growing up with lots of siblings. My father-in-law was a police officer and my mother-in-law a homemaker. My husband Scott Alan Hoye is the youngest of seven and his sisters Brenda, Pauline, Sue, and Cindy thought he was the greatest real life baby doll.
Brenda met her husband Michael Rasinski while visiting her sister Cindy in Colorado. Cindy and her husband Bob lived on the military base, Fort Carson. Mike was stationed there as a Military Police Officer. Brenda, being a civilian, was not supposed to be on the base. She thought she was going to be in trouble as Mike and his partner circled the block in their MP jeep multiple times. The third time around Mike had switched to the passenger side and as they came to a stop in front of Brenda he jumped out of the Jeep. To Brenda’s surprise he flipped his ticket book out and asked her to write her name and phone number on the back of it. Brenda and Mike were married in Colorado in October of 1969. They moved to Brainerd, Minnesota and bought their first house together in 1977. Brenda and Mike had two children, Robert, and Joleen. They are both happily married and live near Mike in Brainerd, Minnesota. Mike is a proud grandfather of three and a great grandfather of four beautiful children.
Mike worked in road construction after his military service ended. In July of 1981, an opportunity presented itself for them to buy their own semi and they started their business M&B Trucking with Mike driving long haul and Brenda taking care of the finances. While Mike was on the road Brenda raised their children and worked as a librarian and teacher’s aide at the local Pine Center School. The school closed in 1983 and Brenda went to work for Meyer’s Cleaners running a hot steam clothing press. Since Brenda had clerical and office experience, she was the only employee kept on when American Linen took over the business in 1985. She became the Brainerd Depot Manager for American Linen doing everything from office duties to substitute delivery truck driving.
In 1993 Brenda and Mike fulfilled a lifelong dream as Brenda quit her job and went on the road full time with Mike. Brenda and Mike worked as a team drving the truck as Brenda had obtained a Class A CDL license in the interim. In 2008 Mike and Brenda sold their trucking business due to health issues and Brenda took classes to become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant). She worked in the nursing home for Mille Lacs Health System until her passing.
Brenda learned to knit at a young age from her mother and continued the hobby with a great passion throughout her life. Her favorite part of knitting was to give her creations to others. She lovingly knitted several Christening gowns, blankets, hats, mittens, scarves, and sweaters for her family, friends and various charities she supported during her amazing life. Brenda’s last endeavor was to knit little hats for premature babies, which were then packaged into care boxes and distributed by the Lakeview Community Church that Brenda and Mike were members of.
Lois Hayes, the founder of the Lakeview Community Church, taught Brenda to quilt. Brenda took to this new hobby with the same amount of passion she had for knitting. She became a member of a couple of quilting groups (Sewcial Hour, 3rd Saturday Quilters and Lakeview Ladies) and again her favorite part of this craft was giving her quilts to others. She participated in creating many quilts that were donated to the local police department and nursing homes through these groups. She also made a beautiful bird themed quilt that she donated to the nursing home she worked for. Proceeds of the quilt raffle went towards the expansion and care of the memory care unit bird aviary. The nursing home has dedicated a bench in their courtyard to Brenda’s memory.
"Sometimes your heart speaks best through your hands."
You truly have a treasure if you are a fortunate recipient of one of Brenda’s knitted or quilted items.
I have been knitting off and on since I was 10 years old, but Brenda got me reacquainted with knitting when I married Scott in 2005. I have not stopped knitting since!!