Breanna Noel Waning

Breanna Noel Waning, of Salisbury, NC. peacefully ended her journey in life on June 20,2026, at the age of 36. She arrived in the world, November 1,1989, on a crisp and sunny afternoon in Stoughton, MA., to parents Richard L. Waning Jr. and Alyssa J. Murphy.

Known to her family and friends as “Bre”, she was a beautiful, intelligent, kind soul, with a big heart and dry sense of humor. Bre spent her childhood in East Taunton, MA., where she enjoyed snowboarding with the ski club, gymnastics classes, swimming, riding her bike or scooter around the neighborhood and hanging out with her close group of friends. She read avidly as a child, disappearing for hours to immerse herself in the latest Harry Potter or one of the many other books that she collected. She loved fashion and had created a style of her own, which always included one of her many signature pairs of “Chuck’s” or checkered Van’s. Bre loved to experience new places and had traveled with her family to Italy, France and the western Caribbean. She spent several summer vacations at Point Sebago in Maine or visiting historical sites, museums and amusement parks on the East Coast. She loved taking spontaneous “road trips” or going to Warped Tour and Lollapalooza concerts with her brother Rick and friends. Bre had a deep love for music, which she inherited from her parents and has now passed to her sons.

Breanna was educated in the East Taunton, MA. elementary school system and attended Bristol Plymouth Voc-Tech in high school, graduating with a certificate in Graphic Arts. After graduating, she pursued a degree in Criminal Justice at Bristol Plymouth Community College for a year, before changing her interests. More recently, she had been working toward a B.A. in Digital Media and Web Design at the University of MD Global Campus, where her grades had earned her a place on the Dean’s List.

Breanna moved to Salisbury NC in late 2022, to help her mother care for her step-father Mike after a stroke. In 2023, she was introduced to Theodore Bennett and after a brief friendship, they entered into a serious relationship. Due to a diagnosis of Lupus and CTD, Bre had been told that it was unlikely she would have children. In 2023, she and her spouse Teddy received an unexpected surprise when she became pregnant, which both were extremely excited to learn. They welcomed their first son, Finn Alexander, to the world in February of 2024 and shortly after a second son, Wyatt Alan, arrived in May of 2025. The family had been making their home on High Rock Lake in Salisbury.

Breanna is survived by her spouse Theodore Bennett and sons Finn and Wyatt Bennett of Salisbury, NC; mother, Alyssa Murphy of Salisbury, NC.; brother Richard Waning III of Salisbury, NC.; brother Caleb Waning and wife Kate of Boston, MA, a sister Emerson Waning of NH; sister Dawn Murphy of Seekonk, MA; grandmother Joellan Pilgrim of Bath, ME; grandmother Ruth Waning of Rotonda West, FL; aunt Cara Freeman and her husband Mark of Gardiner, ME; aunt Brenda Waning of MA; as well as several great aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

She is preceded in death by her father Richard L. Waning, Jr.; grandfather Richard L. Waning, Sr.; brother Brian Murphy and uncle John Waning.

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