Brendan Lee Mead

Brendan Mead, 31, of Chicago, IL, and formerly of Iowa, passed away on Saturday, October 21, 2023, in Chicago.

A celebration of Brendan’s life will be held 10:30 a.m., Saturday, October 28, 2023, at the First Baptist Church in Stratford, Iowa. Rev. Skip Hansen will officiate. Visitation will be prior to services at the Church, starting at 9:30 a.m. Inurnment will be at a later date. For online obituaries & condolences visit: www.carsonstappfuneralhome.com

Brendan Lee Mead was born on June 30, 1992, in Augsburg, Germany, the son of Jim and Laura (Mossetto) Mead. He attended schools in Stratford and Webster City before he graduated with the Knoxville High School class of 2010. Following high school, he furthered his education by studying music and education at Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska.

Following his education, Brendan held various positions including as a movie theater crew member, general manager at McDonald’s and Hardee’s, and as a customer service supervisor with Mom’s Meals. Brendan was most recently a flight attendant with United Airlines, based out of Chicago.

Brendan held a deep love for music. He played the trumpet, french horn and piano and had a beautiful singing voice. His musical talents were apparent from a young age when he taught himself by ear how to play the Super Mario theme and “He’s a Pirate” from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. He tormented his family by playing these songs day after day and year after year.

Brendan’s enthusiasm and passion for all things Disney was unparalleled. He loved visiting the parks and collecting unique Disney artwork and memorabilia. Brendan ensured that his Disney enthusiasm was shared by others as he brought family and friends along on his various Disney adventures.

In addition to music and Disney, Brendan loved to travel. He loved the ocean, hiking, exploring waterfalls and was thrilled that his job with United allowed him the opportunity to travel the world. He was able to visit places such as Paris, Rome, Hawaii, Costa Rica. El Salvador, Barcelona, London, and Scotland. Of all his trips, he especially loved Scotland, London, and El Salvador. In El Salvador, his fluency in Spanish was on full display.

Brendan loved animals and animals loved him. He enjoyed spending time with his beloved cat, Phillip and had many pet loves throughout his life.

Brendan was an extremely fun loving young man, a prankster at heart, with an infectious grin that made you know good times were ahead. He was known as the “Jellybean King” after he declared an annual holiday dedicated to the candy and recruited everyone to his cause. He once filled his teacher’s room with so many balloons that work was delayed so they could be popped.

Brendan filled our lives with music and laughter. Funny, intelligent, learner, and creative are a few of the many words that can be used to describe him. He had a “wicked” sense of humor and loved the musical of the same name. He was a Legomaniac and the first thing that could be heard when he came home from college was the Legos being dumped out.

Brendan was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Larry and Bonnie Mead, and his maternal grandmother, Heidi Hoch, along with his uncles, Dennis Mead and Mike Mead.

Among the survivors are his parents, Jim and Laura Mead of Grand Junction, IA, sisters, Shaylee (Stephen) Lindquist and their son, Theodore of Des Moines, IA, and Madelyn Mead (Spencer Fluckiger) of Webster City, IA; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Brendan lost his lifelong battle with mental illness, but you and your loved ones don’t have to. For help, for yourself or others, please call 988 or 1-800-422-HOPE (4673).

In lieu of flowers, if desired, memorials may be directed to the Mead family to assist with expenses.