Brenda Brown Fortunato

Brenda Brown-Fortunato, 62, passed away peacefully on October 6, 2022. She was born at Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre, NY, on April 5, 1960, the daughter of Thomas Brown and Sheelah Mackin Brown. She was the second of nine children. Brenda is survived by daughters Erin, Kiera, and Caleigh Fortunato; brothers Brian and Patrick Brown, and sisters Cathleen Brown Cain, Deirdre Brown, Nadine Brown Tuccinardi, Moira Brown Matthews, and Ailis Brown Martin; more than two dozen nieces and nephews; and many other extended family. A sixth sister, Erin Elizabeth Brown, passed away in February 1965 at the age of one year. Brenda was beloved by all, a nationally recognized creative professional who took much pride in her work. As a child growing up in Middle Village, Queens, and Wyckoff, NJ, Brenda won numerous art awards at St. Elizabeth’s School in Wyckoff and Paramus Catholic High School, where she also excelled in gymnastics and track and field. An accomplished musician, she studied Irish fiddle in the Bronx with the County Galway fiddler Pete Kelly, and toured Ireland in a ceili band at the age of 12. In 1982, she graduated from the School of Visual Arts, New York City, earning a BFA in design with post-graduate work at NYU. Brenda was hired as an Art Director at Hearst, where she led the design department of Cosmopolitan magazine. Other career highlights included the role of Design Director at Eeboo, where she created branding, packaging, and award-winning designs of children’s books, puzzles, maps, and toys. For the past 13 years, Brenda served as Creative Director at Colony Grill, a special place in the hearts of many customers. After careful study, Brenda developed a deep understanding of the brand’s history and its place in the community, drawing on this in her approach to all parts of the design, from the branding to the memorabilia behind the bars, the “wall of heroes” (featuring photographs of local veterans and first responders), the beautiful holiday decor, and of course the T-shirts for the annual “Hot Oil 5K” foot race. She was a remarkable woman in so many ways. If you ask anyone they would tell you how talented she was, a brilliant, well-loved woman who lit up a room and was always ready to help. Brenda brought so much joy into all of our lives and she will be dearly missed.

Brenda Brown Fortunato

April 5, 1960 - October 6, 2022