Brenda Joyce McLeod

Funeral services honoring the life of Mrs. Brenda Joyce Dearman McLeod will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 24, 2026 at Mt. Calvary United Pentecostal Church, 9379 Old 63 N, Lucedale, MS 39452. Rev. Floyd Odom and Rev. Rodney Baker will officiate. Burial will follow at Scotland Cemetery in Leakesville, MS. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23 at Robert Barham Family Funeral Home and on Thursday morning one hour prior to the funeral service at Mt. Calvary UPC. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with arrangements.

Brenda Joyce McLeod, age 78, of Quitman, Mississippi, passed away September 20, 2026 in Meridian at Poplar Springs Nursing Home.

She was born January 22, 1948 in Hattiesburg, MS to Milton and Mary Ella Holland Dearman. Brenda graduated from Leakesville High School and later that year on October 9, 1964 married Glen McLeod at Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Milton "Bill" and Mary Ella Dearman; her sister, Doris Claudette McLeod; and her grandparents, Rev. James Mattison "Matt" Holland, Earline Holland, and Myrtle Holland.

She is survived by her husband, Rev. Glen McLeod; her three children and their spouses; seven grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; five great-grandchildren, along with numerous special nieces and nephews, extended family, church family, and many friends who loved her dearly.

Her almost 62 years of marriage to Glen blessed them with three children: Pastor Mark McLeod (Chantel), Jennifer Bell (Dr. William Scot Bell), and Derrick McLeod (Melanie). Her seven grandchildren include: Landon McLeod (Olivia), Alexis Busby (Josh), Alayna Turner (Alex), Damon McLeod, Alivia McLeod, Canon McLeod, and Graham McLeod; five great grandchildren include: Laiken McLeod, Vivien McLeod, Kaycen McLeod, Arabella Turner, and Anderson Turner.

Brenda loved the Lord and served Him faithfully throughout her life. She served as a dedicated and loving Pastor's Wife for 43 years at First United Pentecostal Church of Quitman, a church founded by her and her husband in 1972. It was there that she sang and played the organ and accordion and was a beloved Sunday school teacher. Brenda was known for having a servant's heart frequently shown by leading fundraisers, feeding her community, church family, and travelling evangelists (and her husband added that this was sometimes during 3 to 4 week revivals!). She worked in accounting at Quitman Knitting Mills for nearly 30 years and more recently worked at Meridian Community College as an administrative assistant in the nursing department. Brenda had a God-given gift for cooking and making the best cakes. Her hands always created something yummy, but her heart created warmth.

Serving as pallbearers will be Mark McLeod, Derrick McLeod, Landon McLeod, Damon McLeod, Canon McLeod, and Graham McLeod.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests sharing memorial contributions with Tupelo Children's Mansion at https://mansionkids.org/donate/.

Family and friends may sign the guestbook at www.robertbarhamffh.com.