Gregory Neal McLelland

Gregory Neal McLelland, age 45, passed away peacefully and in the loving embrace of his family, on April 3, 2024. His passing marked the end of a 15-month battle with Glioblastoma brain cancer, and occurred in the comfort of his home just four weeks short of his 46^th birthday and just 2 blocks away from the hospital in which he was born.  

Gregory was born on April 30, 1978, in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Gregory spent a lot of time in his early years riding bikes with friends until dark, hunting for tadpoles, and building forts in the woods behind nearby Pecan Park Elementary School.   He also enjoyed playing with his dog, Blizzard, and often went on weekend trips with his family to bluegrass festivals to listen to his father’s band, Goldrush.  Gregory played soccer and baseball and was active in the boy scouts.  He was a founding member of the Wesley Methodist Church in Ocean Springs, where he was active in the children’s choir and youth group.   Gregory was a very talented musician. As a teenager, he was the first chair trombone player in the school band. Gregory learned to play the guitar and spent many, many, many hours in his bedroom, patiently honing that skill. Along with his rock band, Dixon,  he went on to win the high school talent show. Gregory could also play the piano, with a particular fondness for shredding the keys on “The Entertainer” and “E.T.” Much later, he even played bass and mandolin in a bluegrass band, “The Hound City Ramblers.”  

Gregory graduated from Ocean Springs High School in 1996 and later moved to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where he studied audio design and engineering at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM).  When he wasn’t studying or teaching grad assistant courses, Gregory enjoyed DJ’ing for his cousin’s band at bars and parties. During this time, Greg met and began dating the love of his life, Caryn Dawkins. After earning a Bachelor and a Master degree from USM, and looking to return to the Mississippi gulf coast, Greg accepted a job as a sound and vibration engineer at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula. Greg worked for nearly 20 years at Ingalls, designing and running tests on newly-built ships for the US Navy. His job often took him out on “sea trials,” where he would run tests vital to national security while also binging Netflix.

Above all else, Gregory was a family man. He and Caryn married and had three beautiful children- Madison (14), Brandon (11), and Lillian (4).  His children were the light of his life. He enjoyed watching Madison shine in dance and choir, marveled at Brandon’s skill with computers and gaming, and loved watching Lillian dance, play and be silly. Along with his family, Gregory enjoyed cooking, movie nights, dressing up for Halloween, and going on beach condo vacations.

Gregory is survived by friends and family who are mourning his loss, including his wife, Caryn and his three children, Madison, Brandon and Lillian, his parents, Jerry and Margaret McLelland, his older brother, Marcus McLelland, and his in-laws, Joe and Debra Dawkins. Gregory is also survived by many cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and countless friends.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 from 1pm -2pm with a 2pm Chapel Service at Ocean Springs Chapel, Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Crestlawn Memorial Park.

Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Homes is honored to serve the family of Gregory Neal McLelland.