Glenda Nell Self

Glenda was a joy to know! She was born in Jefferson County, AL on August 19, 1936, the daughter of Harvey and Nadine Vanderver Brasher and lived in the Birmingham area her entire life. In 1952 she married Charles H. Self, Sr and they celebrated 46 years together until his death in 1998. They had three sons, Charles Jr, Timothy, and Michael, 7 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, all who referred to her affectionately as GranGran. Anyone who knew the family will say that life with the Selfs was always a fun adventure.

Glenda graduated from Ensley High School, married, and spent the majority of her career as an employee of Bruno's Food Store as a meat-cutter. She would not hesitate to correct any person calling her a butcher, taking great pride in being a "meat cutter". Her passions were her family, cooking, and Auburn football. For many years she was housemother to droves of young people, friends, and fraternity brothers of her children, and Charles named their home on the Warrior River "Glenda's Landing". Even now, people who visited will talk about her great food and fun times had there! She loved to water ski, though terrified because she could not swim. She was highly recognizable on the water with her three life jackets and brightly colored bandana to protect her hair. Glenda thoroughly enjoyed this phase of her life.

With Charles's death, she returned to Hoover, began attending Hunter Street Baptist Church and studying the Bible, founded a group named The Margarita Grannies which met frequently at a local Mexican restaurant, and also embarked on a new life as a world traveler. She took multiple ocean cruises annually and several European trips with different family members. While site-seeing in Greece with an absent-minded cousin, the two of them missed their cruise departure and became stranded. Frantically calling her son Tim in the U.S., he was able to arrange a flight to the next port of call so they could get back on board. She also enjoyed weekend jaunts for a few years with her son Mike, as they did "charity work" for the South Alabama Indian Tribes, aka supporting the casinos.

Later in life and with the loss of two sons, she moved to senior living facilities, first in Hoover and then in Bessemer, where she was surrounded by many friends, grandchildren, great-children, and other family members. Glenda passed away on March 27, 2026, from a myriad of health problems. Ever confident in her Christian faith, despite her many infirmities including blindness, her friends marveled that she never complained, had a positive outlook, and seldom missed an outing.

She is survived by her son, Charles Jr and wife Maxine, cousins Dian Perryman and Hilda Kendricks, daughters-in-law Martie Self Martindale (and husband, Alan), Robin Self Zimmerman, and Warrene Self. She leaves a huge empty spot in the lives of all those who loved and cared for her.

Visitation will be held at 10:30, Wednesday April 1, 2026 at Curris-Jefferson Memorial on Hwy 150 in Hoover, followed by graveside at Patterson-Forest Grove Cemetery in Pleasant Grove.