Brenda Kay (Triplett) Battles

Brenda Kay Triplett Battles was born prematurely on 11 October 1942 in Widen, WV only 10 months after her sister Carol Triplett Ramsey. Her parents were Ernie Bidden Triplett and Opal Lovelia Fitzwater Triplett. She excelled in Clay County schools where she took the most challenging courses, graduating from Clay County High School in 1960. She participated in 4-H where she earned her Charting, Sewing, and State Leadership Pins and became a West Virginia 4-H All-Star. She attended Alderson Broaddus College earning her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing through the U.S. Army student nursing program. She became a licensed RN in WV and entered the Army in 1964. She maintained her nursing license until

2013. Kay was both a diabetic and a diabetic educator; she taught Dining with Diabetes courses for many years.

Her career in the Army consisted of a Basic Officer Training Course at Fort Sam Houston Army Medical Field Service school in TX.  She was then assigned to Womac Army Hospital, Fort Bragg, NC where she took care of patients returning from the Dominican Republic and met her future husband, Fred Clifton Battles. Subsequently, she was assigned to the 36th Evacuation Hospital in Vung Tau, Vietnam. During this time she enjoyed a trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where she and Fred were married. Her time in Vietnam ended in 1967 and she returned to Womack Army Hospital. Kay left military service to start her family in June 1967. Family life followed Fred’s military career and took the family to Fort Sill, OK, Fort Benning, GA, Fort Bliss, TX, Fort Greeley, AK, and Fort Hood, TX. While at Fort Hood, Kay earned her Masters degree from Texas Woman’s University and taught at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

The family moved to Pt Marion, PA and Kay taught at the West Virginia University School of Nursing for many years. While at WVU she helped organize the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 306 in Morgantown, WV and was the founding president.  After leaving WVU, Kay worked at the Sharpe State Hospital, Weston, WV, followed by working for the West Virginia State Health Department in many positions; her last position was working with Disease Surveillance/Epidemiology in Charleston, WV followed by retirement in 2000 to care for her mother in Clay, WV. Kay volunteered throughout her life with 4-H and was a well-loved camp nurse for many years as well. She was active in a quilting group wherever she lived and was always willing to help those in need. She volunteered for many years with the quilt group in preparation for the annual Golden Delicious Apple Festival in Clay, WV and was the Golden Delicious Festival Belle in 2016.  In 2018, Kay moved to Litchfield Park, AZ to be a full-time grandmother and find a new quilting club. 

Kay was preceded in death by her mother, Opal Lovelia Fitzwater Triplett, her father, Ernie Bidden Triplett, and her brother Larry Allen Triplett. She is survived by her husband, Fred Clifton Battles; her children Fred Edgar Battles and his wife Svetlana Rahimzhanova Battles, and Mary Johanna Battles Long and her fiancée Jason Paul Sikora; her sisters Linda Carol Triplett Ramsey of Blanco, TX, and Sharon Johanna Triplett Cummings of Gassaway, WV; her grandchildren, Nicholas Edward Battles, Sophia Michelle Long, Anastasia Cerise Battles, Steven Walter Battles, Andrew Mason Battles, Alina Mae Battles, and Luca Ronin Battles; and  any other family members throughout the country.

Please join us for a memorial service honoring Brenda Kay Battles life on March, 1st  at 12:00 pm, to be held at Abrazo  Funeral Home and Cremation,  at 1075 S Idaho Rd,  Apache Junction, AZ 85119

She will be buried with honors  at Arlington National Cemetery, VA. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the diabetic association or GoFundMe page for WVU Clay County 4-H program. Kay was a lifelong diabetic and diabetic educator. She was also always helping in one way or another with the 4-H program and camp that her mother helped start.

WVU Clay County 4-H camp

https://gofund.me/1baeac24

Diabetic Association

https://diabetes.org/ways-to-give

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