Brenda Neldra Ladner Bannerman

Brenda Neldra Ladner Bannerman, of Pass Christian, MS, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 27th, surrounded by her loving husband, her children, and three of her grandchildren. 

Brenda was the second of four children--all daughters--born to Norman and Neldra Ladner. She was very close to her dad and inherited his love of dancing. Perhaps the greatest influence in Brenda’s spiritual life was her Grandmother Octavia, a woman whose deep faith and gentle spirit shaped her from an early age. 

Brenda attended Gulfport High School and later graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Master's degree in social work. When her youngest was six years old, Brenda left the workforce and turned her attention to homemaking. She planted crepe myrtles and a variety of fruit trees across the yard and loved decorating the house for Christmas. So much so that her husband, Ward, lovingly jokes, “She decorates, and then she decorates the decorations.” That is perhaps where her absence will be felt the most: in the garland, the welcoming hearth, the thoughtful gifts, and the old Christmas music and movies from her own childhood. 

In 1983, Brenda met the love of her life, Ward, in Hattiesburg, MS, and together they made a life for themselves first in Hattiesburg, then in Brandon, Mississippi, followed by a brief time in Mandeville, Louisiana, before returning to Brenda’s roots on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. 

Brenda is survived by her husband, Ward; her son, David Byrd (Mary Ann); her daughter Beth Bowen (Shane); her daughter Sara Bannerman; her stepdaughter, Angela Bannerman; and five grandchildren (Matthew, Lindsey, Bella, Natalie, and Asher). She was preceded in death by her parents, Norman and Neldra, and her sisters, June, Debbie, and Lisa. 

A private graveside service will be held for her on Friday, October 30th. All friends and family who loved Brenda are encouraged to leave condolences below. We will miss her deeply, but we are beyond grateful for her life and her fervent love for Christ.