Brenda Lorraine Gee, later known as Brenda Jackson, was closely connected to one of the most recognizable families in American motorsports. She was the former wife of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, the mother of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, and a longtime employee of JR Motorsports. Although her family lived much of its life in the public eye, Brenda generally remained behind the scenes.
Her story was not simply that of a famous driver’s former spouse. She came from a racing family, raised two children during financially difficult years, rebuilt her life after divorce and a devastating house fire, and eventually worked alongside her children as their racing business expanded. She died on April 22, 2019, at age 65 after battling cancer.
Brenda Lorraine Gee Quick Facts
| Detail | Verified information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Brenda Lorraine Gee |
| Later name | Brenda Gee Jackson or Brenda Jackson |
| Best known for | Mother of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller |
| First husband | Dale Earnhardt |
| Second husband | William M. “Willie” Jackson Jr. |
| Children | Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| Stepson or stepdaughter | Stepdaughter Meredith Davis |
| Profession | Accounting specialist at JR Motorsports |
| Joined JR Motorsports | 2004 |
| Years with JR Motorsports | Approximately 15 years |
| Father | NASCAR fabricator Robert Edward Gee |
| Date of death | April 22, 2019 |
| Age at death | 65 |
| Cause of death | Cancer; NASCAR’s long-form coverage identified it as lung cancer |
Official sources do not provide a consistently verifiable exact birth date or birthplace for Brenda Lorraine Gee. Several biography websites publish conflicting dates and locations, so those details should not be treated as confirmed facts.
Who Was Brenda Lorraine Gee?
Brenda Lorraine Gee was a member of the Earnhardt family during the early and uncertain period of Dale Earnhardt’s racing career. She married Earnhardt in 1972, before he became the nationally recognized driver known as “The Intimidator.” Their marriage produced two children: Kelley and Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr., commonly known as Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt was previously married to Latane Brown and later married Teresa Earnhardt. Brenda was his second wife, and their marriage lasted until 1979. While Dale Sr. pursued his racing ambitions, Brenda carried many of the day-to-day responsibilities associated with raising their young children.
Her Early Connection to NASCAR
Brenda did not enter the racing world only through her marriage. She was the daughter of Robert Edward Gee, a respected NASCAR fabricator who built race cars for several successful drivers, including Dale Earnhardt. NASCAR described Brenda as one of Robert Gee’s four children, placing her within the sport’s technical and family culture long before JR Motorsports existed.
A fabricator’s work involves constructing, fitting and repairing important parts of a race car. Robert Gee’s profession meant that Brenda grew up around the practical side of stock-car racing—the workshops, mechanical preparation and long hours that supported drivers on the track. This background likely helped her understand the pressures surrounding Dale Earnhardt’s early career and her children’s later involvement in motorsports.
Marriage to Dale Earnhardt
Brenda Lorraine Gee and Dale Earnhardt married in 1972. At the time, Earnhardt had not yet achieved the financial security and national fame that would define his later career. He made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 1975 and eventually became one of the sport’s most accomplished drivers, but the couple’s early years together took place before that success was guaranteed.
Brenda and Dale separated after several years of marriage, with their divorce generally dated to 1979. Following the separation, Kelley and Dale Jr. initially remained with Brenda while their father continued building his racing career. Their family arrangement later changed because of a crisis that left Brenda without a stable home.
Brenda Lorraine Gee as a Mother
Brenda’s most important public legacy is her relationship with Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Both children eventually became major figures in NASCAR, although they followed different professional paths. Dale Jr. became a successful driver, two-time Daytona 500 winner, broadcaster and NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee. Kelley became a respected motorsports executive and co-owner of JR Motorsports.
Their mother supported them before those achievements were possible. Dale Jr. later described her decision-making during his childhood as an act of sacrifice rather than abandonment. He explained that when Brenda could no longer provide stable housing, she allowed the children to live with their father because she believed he was in a better position to care for them.
The House Fire That Changed the Family
One of the most difficult events in Brenda Lorraine Gee’s life was a fire that destroyed the Kannapolis, North Carolina, home where she lived with Kelley and Dale Jr. According to NASCAR’s reporting, a faulty kitchen light caused the fire in 1981. Kelley was approximately eight years old, while Dale Jr. was around six.
Brenda had limited money and nowhere nearby to rebuild her family’s life. She returned to Norfolk, Virginia, to live with her mother, while Kelley and Dale Jr. moved in with Dale Earnhardt. Dale Jr. later said his mother made the painful choice because she knew their father could provide a better living situation. The incident became a defining experience in the siblings’ childhoods and illustrates the financial instability their family faced before Dale Earnhardt’s greatest professional success.
Her Second Marriage and Private Family Life
Brenda rebuilt her life after relocating to Virginia. In 1985, she married William M. Jackson Jr., better known as Willie Jackson, who worked as a firefighter in Norfolk. They remained married for approximately 33 years, until Brenda’s death in 2019.
After Willie retired, the couple returned to North Carolina with Willie’s daughter, Meredith. The move allowed Brenda to live closer to Kelley and Dale Jr. and eventually become involved in their business operations. Although Brenda remained connected to NASCAR through her family, her second marriage was comparatively private and stable.
Brenda Lorraine Gee’s Career at JR Motorsports
Brenda joined JR Motorsports in 2004 as an accounting specialist. Her work involved the financial and administrative side of the organization rather than competition, publicity or race strategy. She remained with the company for approximately 15 years, making her a genuine professional contributor rather than an occasional family presence.
During her tenure, JR Motorsports developed from a smaller operation into a full-time NASCAR racing organization. The company began competing full-time in 2006 and became a championship-winning organization in 2014. Official tributes emphasized that Brenda’s humor, honesty and personality became part of the company’s internal culture as the business expanded.
Her Role Behind the Scenes
Brenda’s career rarely received the attention given to drivers, owners and crew chiefs, but accounting is essential to the operation of a professional racing team. Race organizations must manage employee compensation, equipment expenses, travel, sponsorship income, vendor payments and numerous other financial responsibilities. Brenda helped support that operational structure while working close to her children.
NASCAR also reported that she managed some of Dale Jr.’s finances and lived in a home on his property in Mooresville, North Carolina, during her later years. Her professional and personal roles therefore overlapped: she was an accounting specialist, trusted family member, mother and grandmother who remained actively involved in everyday family life.
What Was Brenda Lorraine Gee Like?
Official tributes consistently remembered Brenda for her sarcastic sense of humor. JR Motorsports stated that her humor became part of the organization’s identity, while family stories portrayed her as direct, funny and comfortable teasing the people closest to her.
Her compassionate side was also visible. NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski once recalled becoming seriously ill with the flu and being cared for by Brenda and Willie Jackson for several days after leaving urgent care. Brenda continued checking on him during his recovery, demonstrating the generosity that friends and relatives associated with her.
Her Relationship With Her Children
Brenda publicly expressed pride in both Kelley and Dale Jr. She admired Kelley’s high standards and professional discipline, while praising Dale Jr. not only for his racing achievements but also for his honesty and care for family and friends. She said she considered herself fortunate because working at JR Motorsports allowed her to interact with her children almost every day.
This relationship continued into the next generation. Her grandchildren called her “Mimi,” and NASCAR’s family coverage described her spending time playing cards, joking with relatives and moving between family responsibilities. She was especially close to Kelley’s daughter, Karsyn Elledge, who described Brenda as an important presence in her life.
Brenda Lorraine Gee’s Illness and Death
In early 2019, Brenda received a diagnosis of lung cancer. NASCAR reported that doctors initially believed she had only a few months to live. As her condition worsened, she entered hospice care so that her pain could be managed and she could remain comfortable.
Brenda Lorraine Gee died on April 22, 2019, at the age of 65. Her husband, children, stepdaughter, grandchildren, brothers and other relatives survived her. Dale Jr. responded by saying he was grateful that her suffering had ended, while Kelley described her mother as her greatest advocate and friend.
How Her Family Honored Her Memory
Brenda’s influence remained visible after her death. In 2021, The Dale Jr. Foundation, the Earnhardt family and Unilever supported the creation of “Mimi’s Garden” at FeedNC in Mooresville. The garden was named in Brenda’s honor as part of a larger effort to address hunger and poverty in the community.
The project included a $300,000 donation from Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife, Amy, to FeedNC. Rather than creating only a symbolic memorial, the family connected Brenda’s memory to a practical community resource intended to provide food and support to people in need.
The Meaning Behind the Name Lorraine
A lesser-known family tribute involves Brenda’s middle name. In October 2020, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Amy Earnhardt welcomed their second daughter, Nicole Lorraine Earnhardt. Dale Jr. explained that “Nicole” came from Amy’s middle name, while “Lorraine” honored Brenda.
The decision ensured that Brenda Lorraine Gee’s name would continue within the family. It also showed how deeply she remained connected to Dale Jr.’s family after her death.
Unverified Claims About Brenda Lorraine Gee
Many online profiles assign Brenda a specific net worth, height, weight, educational history or birthplace. Reliable NASCAR and Earnhardt-family sources do not confirm those details. Estimates of her wealth are particularly misleading because no verified financial disclosure or estate valuation appears in the public record.
Conflicting websites also list different birth years and dates. Since stronger sources confirm only that she was 65 when she died on April 22, 2019, responsible biographies should avoid presenting an exact birth date as established fact. The documented parts of her life—her family, marriages, house fire, JR Motorsports career, illness and legacy—provide enough meaningful information without adding unsupported personal statistics.
Why Brenda Lorraine Gee’s Story Matters
Brenda Lorraine Gee represents the less visible side of motorsports history. NASCAR’s most famous stories often focus on victories, championships and dramatic moments on the track. Her experience reveals the family sacrifices, unstable finances and personal hardships that can exist behind a driver’s rise to fame.
She endured divorce, the loss of her home and separation from her children, yet later rebuilt strong relationships with them and contributed to their business. Her legacy is found not in racing statistics but in the stability, humor and support she brought to the people around her.
Conclusion
Brenda Lorraine Gee was far more than Dale Earnhardt’s former wife. She was the daughter of a respected NASCAR fabricator, the mother of two influential motorsports figures, a dedicated accounting specialist and a central member of the JR Motorsports family.
Her life included serious hardships, especially the house fire that forced her to make a painful decision about her children’s living arrangements. However, her later years brought renewed closeness with Kelley and Dale Jr., a meaningful career at their racing organization and strong relationships with her grandchildren. Remembered by her family as “Mimi,” Brenda left a quiet but lasting mark on the Earnhardt legacy and the wider NASCAR community.
