Havre de Grace City Councilwoman Brenda Guldenzopf lost her battle with cancer Monday evening. She passed away sometime around 7:30 p.m.
Guldenzopf moved to Havre de Grace in 1999, held leadership positions with both the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum and Havre de Grace Decoy Museum, and was elected to the Havre de Grace City Council in May 2009.
Here is a statement the city released Tuesday morning:
It is with great sadness that Mayor Wayne Dougherty announces the death of our very own Havre de Grace Councilwoman Brenda D. Guldenzopf. Councilwoman Guldenzopf died Monday, July 19, 2010 and served our citizens with honor and distinction since May 2009.
In honor of Brenda, City flags have been lowered to half mast. Brenda’s family has requested their privacy and thank each of you for your words of comfort and prayers.
Although the mayor and city council are still mourning the loss and have not discussed the empty seat on the council the selection of a new council member typically begins with the mayor. Mayor Wayne Dougherty would nominate someone to complete the term, which the city council would have to confirm by a majority vote. In the past when there have been openings on the city council, the nomination has come either from a citywide solicitation for the resumes of those interested or from the mayor selecting the person who was the next highest vote-getter in the last election.
Here is Brenda Guldenzopf’s biography from City of Havre de Grace website:
CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
Brenda Dorr Guldenzopf
Brenda and her family fell in love with Havre de Grace and decided to make it their home in 1999. “Havre de Grace was everything we were looking for – good quality of life, safe community, good school system, natural beauty, a sense of history, museums, and abundant recreation opportunities.” Brenda earned her undergraduate degree in Anthropology and Archeology from the University of Connecticut and completed her master’s degree study in Museum Science from the University of Toronto. She has been professionally employed in both archeology and museum work in Connecticut, New Mexico, Maryland, Ontario and Scotland. Brenda’s professional life has been dedicated to working with communities to preserve their history and identity and tell their story. In Havre de Grace, she has worked both as Curator of the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum and currently as Executive Director of the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum to document and preserve our unique heritage and to interpret this rich legacy for today’s as well as for future generations.
Brenda has been actively involved in our community in other ways as a member of Havre de Grace United Methodist Church and as a mother of two active girls in Havre de Grace Public Schools and Harford County Parks and Recreation. As a member of Soroptomist International of Havre de Grace, she has helped to improve the welfare of women and girls in our community. As a member of the Havre de Grace Heritage Corridor Committee and Museum Alliance, Brenda has worked to increase efforts to improve the natural and cultural heritage of our city. Presently she also serves as a Board member of the Harford Community Action Agency which helps to provide critical resources to those in need within Harford County.
Brenda serves on three Council committees -Planning, Parks and Harbor, and Public Safety and is a council liaison to the Tourism Advisory Board, Appearance and Beautification Committee and Ethics Board. She also serves as Chair of the Comprehensive Zoning Review Committee. Brenda brings a fresh perspective, professional experience and integrity to city government. While she has been already serving Havre de Grace for the last decade as a community advocate through her work in the nonprofit sector to preserve our heritage and educate the public, she now extends her energies and efforts to improve and enhance the social and economic conditions of all citizens of Havre de Grace.
“I am committed to improving the lives of Havre de Grace citizens by providing quality services and carefully planning solutions for our community challenges. Specifically I will provide hands-on leadership in city government and encourage fiscal responsibility while improving effective services and programs.”
On behalf of the membership of the Harford County Municipal Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 128 our sympathy to the family of Councilwoman Brenda Guldenzopf.
Respectfully,
Jason Neidig
President
Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 128 (Maryland)
Brenda will leave a huge empty spot in the lives of those she touched. She was passionate about the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum, worked to be a positive force as a City Council member, and practiced family values. Her children were her joy. She was also a warrior in her great effort to survive cancer. I send my deepest sympathies to her husband, children and extended family and friends.
I am sorry to learn of Brenda’s passing. I had no idea the many parallels we shared in our lives from archaeology to museums to serving as councilwomen for our respective communities until I was informed of her death via the New Mexico Archaeology Council listserve. In my capacity as the director and archaeologist at Western New Mexico University in Silver City, New Mexico, I knew and worked with Brenda Dorr, as she was known at the time, when she was employed by the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque as a curator. That was many years ago, and I regret that I did not remain in contact with her after her move. She was a wonderful person.
As we say in New Mexico: paso por aqui Brenda. You will be dearly missed and my condolences to her husband, children, family, friends and the citizens and Council of Havre de Grace.
Cynthia Ann Bettison, Ph.D., RPA
Mayor Pro Tem
Town of Silver City, New Mexico
and Director and Archaeologist
Western New Mexico University Museum