Brandy Michelle Strain-Dayer, 52, of Conway, passed away surrounded by the love of her family.

She is survived by her loving husband, Leonard “Len” Dayer; her parents, Gary Alan Strain and Nancy Strain; her sister, Jackie Strain-Mahar (Tony); her cherished nieces, Gracen Holmes (Caleb) and Jewels Mahar; and her nephew, Major Mahar. She was also a proud and loving bonus mom to Allison Dayer (Ausher Adbo) and a grandmother to her precious granddaughter, Mila.

If you knew her, you know she didn't do anything halfway. She didn't love halfway or live halfway. She was color in a black-and-white world. Bright. Funky. A little bit hippie. Completely and unapologetically herself. She was a mother to her three fur babies: Sooiee, Dutton, and Ozzy. To call them “just dogs” would be missing the point. She loved them fiercely, protectively, and joyfully in the best way. She also loved spoiling her nieces, nephew, and grandchild like no other. Brandy was an avid fan of the Hogs, Conway Wampus Cats, New Orleans Saints, and Dallas Cowboys; she could be found cheering them on loudly and enthusiastically.

But one of the greatest loves of her life was the life she built alongside her sister. Their photography business wasn't just work. It was family. It was legacy. It was something their mother and father started many years ago, something built with heart and hard work and the two of them carried that forward together. Brandy didn't just take pictures, she captured moments people never want to forget. That gift came from who she was. She saw beauty everywhere. In light, in color, in emotion, and in connection.

Brandy had a beautiful balance about her. Creative and grounded. Free-spirited but loyal. A little bit wild with color and style, but deeply rooted in family. Her life was not small. It was vibrant. It was loving. It was real.