Brenda Hughes

Brenda Hughes, age 56, of Montevideo passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 7, 2025 surrounded by her loving family.

A memorial service will be held Friday, October 24, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Rock Haven Church in Granite Falls.

Visitation will be held Thursday, October 23, 2025 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM at Rock Haven and will continue one hour prior to the service.

Born on May 8, 1969, in Montevideo, Minnesota, Brenda lived a life filled with passion, courage, and unwavering faith.

When she was seven, Brenda’s parents accepted a job in Erskine, Minnesota, raising and training Appaloosa show horses. Brenda was successful on showing in horsemanship classes. When she was nine, she was given a horse named Freddy that she trained herself and showed in 4H. She was Snow Queen in Maynard, Minnesota and became interested in pageants.

When Brenda was introduced to High School Rodeo, she fell in love with the sport and began training Freddy for barrel racing, pole bending and breakaway roping. In her four years of High School Rodeo, she was crowned Minnesota High School Rodeo Queen and won saddles in both breakaway and barrels. Brenda was also crowned Minnesota State PRCA Rodeo Queen and competed for the National Title.

Brenda married Jim Hughes on May 25, 1991. They welcomed their first child, Tyler Dean, followed by their daughter, Haley Rae. They built a life together that took them from Minnesota to Casper, Wyoming, then to Almont, North Dakota, where they ran Winner Circle Ranch. They produced race-bred horses and many became winners on the race track and in the rodeo arena. Some went on to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo. Brenda continued barrel racing, winning PRCA rodeos, and became a well-known breeder and trainer. Along the way Brenda forged lifelong friendships that she cherished deeply. The family later settled in Osakis, MN, where she continued to inspire those around her.

Brenda had a deep relationship with Jesus Christ and was not afraid to let it show. She was baptized and fully gave her life to Christ at Impact Church in Scottsdale, Arizona in 2016. With a God given talent to draw and paint, she painted and sold many "Scripture Boards,” but often, gave them as gifts to make sure her loved ones had the Word of God in their home.In June of 2022, Brenda was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. Putting her faith in God, she knew He was going to heal her. Through treatments, pneumonia, and hospital stays, she never wavered and always trusted in God. Her goal was to barrel race again, so in 2023 she went with Haley to a barrel race and pulled a check on one of the horses she raised. In the spring of 2024, while visiting Haley, she was airlifted to McKinney, Texas with fluid around her heart, pneumonia and sepsis. The doctors gave her days to weeks to live. Both her daughter and daughter-in-law were expecting and she was determined to meet her grandbabies. She got the miracles she asked for, beating cancer and defying the odds once again. She lived to see Tyler and Haley both happily married and not only got to meet her three grandsons, but got to know them. As a family, we rejoice in knowing she is in Heaven and has received the ultimate healing. Brenda’s greatest joy was her family. She leaves behind her children, Tyler (Deidre) and Haley (Kolt); and her adored grandsons, Wayson, Orrin, and Harrison, her mother and father David and Lula Tomes and siblings, Bobbi Tomes and Travis Walstrom. Her legacy of love, faith, and courage will live on in the hearts of her family, friends, and the countless lives she touched.