Brandi Victoria Dassler Smirl
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Brandi's obituary
It is with profound and immeasurable sadness that we grieve the passing of Brandi Victoria Dassler Smirl of Antelope, California. The world lost a beautiful person with her departure from this earthly life on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. She was just 50 years old. Brandi was devoted to her family and always wanted to make everyone happy. A mother of three boys, she supported each one in all their endeavors.
Brandi was born on December 18, 1972, in the sleepy little town of Pascagoula, Mississippi, to Edre Stringfellow Dassler and Jim Mitzel. She spent part of her childhood in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, where her dad, Edward Dassler, Jr. was stationed in the US Coast Guard, and where she spent countless hours playing with her little sister, Sammie, on Emily Street. After moving to North Highlands, California, she attended Arthur S. Dudley Elementary and Center Junior High where she made some of her closest friends in life. She graduated near the top of her class from Center High School in 1991. She briefly attended American River College, then went on to the workforce where she worked at AT&T, and later online for The Gap and Old Navy in their customer service department. Throughout her life, Brandi always believed getting an education would improve her circumstances, so she took a variety of college courses.
She cherished happy memories of time well spent in the Gulf Coast region of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida with her grandparents and many aunts, uncles, and cousins from every branch of her family. She often talked of getting back to her hometown to be nearer to her mom and those she loved so much. Some of her happiest times included childhood vacations spent with cousins, aunts, and uncles, and huge family gatherings. She traveled back to the Gulf Coast as often as she could, making sure she saw every last loved one with stops in North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.
If you knew Brandi, you knew that she had a love for family gatherings, the beach, Dallas Cowboys, casinos, and most of all, her three boys. She always looked forward to baseball season and relished being a baseball mom. There is nothing she wouldn’t have done to support her sons, Christopher, Austin, and Mikey. Her greatest wish was to provide a home where her boys would always want to return. She was also blessed with best friends, Lori and Jeanne, who have been like sisters to her since childhood.
Brandi loved family and close friends with her whole heart and soul. She wanted everyone to be happy and would have given you the shirt off her back, even if she had nothing to give. Brandi was kind and ensured that no one left her presence without feeling loved and cared for. She will be remembered fondly for her strength, optimism, and deep loyalty to family and close friends.
Brandi was preceded in death by her grandparents, Barbara and Edward M. Dassler, Sr. of Milton, FL, Edward Stringfellow, Sue Jean and Leroy Carver of Pascagoula, MS, Gay and Eddie Ward of Walton, NY, aunt Cynthia Dassler of Milton, FL, uncle Paul Dassler of McAllen, TX, and sister Kelli Mitzel Fordham of Pascagoula, MS.
Brandi had an enormous family and kept in touch with everyone. She is survived by her three sons, Christopher Dassler, Austin Dassler, and Michael Smirl, III, of Antelope, CA, her parents, Edre Dassler of Foley, AL, Edward and Robin Dassler of Santa Cruz, CA, and Jim and Voncile Mitzel of Corryton, TN, younger sister and brother in law, Samantha Dassler and Richard Barlow of Raleigh, NC, siblings Michael Ward, Matthew Dassler, Nicholas Dassler, Christina Dassler, and Crystal Stuller of Santa Cruz, CA, Duff Franco of Elizabeth City, NC, Amy Mitzel Favre of Long Beach, MS, Richard Mitzel and Jim Mitzel of Corryton, TN, nieces and nephew Ella Carmen, Madelyn, and Jackson Barlow of Raleigh, NC, and Hope Ward-Dassler of Santa Cruz, CA. She is survived by best friends Lori Raymond Ault of Sacramento, CA, and Jeanne Smith Parker of El Dorado Hills, CA, and their families. Her family also includes many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, and third cousins from Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, New Mexico, California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. She was so loved.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a GoFundMe account, which has been arranged to support her boys. https://gofund.me/73d0506e
Rest with peace, sweet mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, and best friend. We will miss your sweet soul and hope that you are happy and unburdened in heaven.
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