Lawanda Jean Brown McLeod, 74, of Sardis, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, at Panola Medical Center in Batesville. She was born in Sardis  May 3, 1947, to Juanita O’Neal Brown and James Edwin Brown.

Lawanda was a lifetime member of Union Baptist Church, where she served as song director, Sunday school teacher, VBS director, and treasure of the cemetery committee. She loved to sew, quilt, clean house, and arrange flowers. Lawanda was also a member of The Brown Family Band and was a great storyteller and historian.

She was a devoted and loving mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, sister, aunt, and friend. She especially adored her grandchildren, who lovingly called her “Nana”. She will be remembered as a very kind and generous Christian lady. The Lord and her family were first and foremost in her life.

Left to cherish her memory is her loving family, which includes one daughter, Jennifer Ivy and her husband, Mike and one son, Chris McLeod and his wife Michelle, all of Sardis: one sister, Carol Darby and her husband Jimmy of Hernando; two brothers, Milton Brown and his wife, Fern, of Sardis,  and Charlie Brown and his wife, Audrey, of Looxahoma; and five grandchildren, Taylor Ivy, Nathan Ivy, Austin Ivy, Jarrett Ivy, and Ella McLeod. She was preceded by her husband, Taylor Jeff McLeod and her parents.

The family will announce service arrangements later.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Union Baptist Church Cemetery Fund.

Ray-Nowell Funeral Home-Sardis Chapel is honored to be entrusted of arrangements.