Gladys Marie Sanders aka Brenda Petty was born to the late Robert D. Petty and Annie Marie Lewis on April 30, 1963, in Evanston, Illinois. She received Christ at an early age and continued to serve and live for Him even throughout her illness.

She became an entrepreneur at an early age doing hair. She always inspired the youth to believe in who they were and where they come from. She organized several drill teams over the past thirty years: BP Steppers, New Foundation, Southside Strutters, Northside Jammers, and finally the babies of the bunch, the OG Steppers. She will always be remembered as an activist in the community, for the many programs she developed for at risk youth and for the countless hours she volunteered inspiring our future generations to be optimistic.

In her leisure, she enjoyed singing. She loved music and had a voice as powerful as the impact she had on everyone she met. Brenda used music as therapy passionately singing in several bands until she began singing for the Lord.

On Wednesday, May 26, 2021, at the age of 58, our Black Butterfly fulfilled her purpose on this earth and went on to be with the Lord for eternity.

She was preceded in death by her loving parents Robert D. Petty Sr. and Annie M. Lewis; sister Theresa A. Hawkins and her nephew Tyrese Brown.

She leaves to cherish her memories, daughter Taishi (Artavian) Carr of Austin, Texas; two sons Sedric Anderson of Racine, WI and Marvin High of Atlanta, Georgia; three sisters Pearlette Petty of Syracuse, New York, Wileen (Roosevelt) Sims and Vanessa (Eric) Robinson both of Minneapolis, MN; two brothers Billy (Victoria) Petty of Denver, Colorado and Robert D. Petty Jr. of Racine, WI; three grandchildren Devon McLemore Jr., Aaliyah Sanders and Aaiden Carr; foster parents Cleveland and Mary Cornelius of Racine, WI. as well as a host of other loving relatives and friends too numerous to mention by name

The Celebration of Her Life will be held on Saturday, June 5, 2021, 5:00pm in the Chapel of Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home, 4600 County Line Rd., Racine, WI.  Visitation will be in the chapel 3:00 – 5:00pm. Please visit the funeral home website at a later date for her full obituary.

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