Obituary Record

Sylvan Julian Ladner Jr., 74, of Bay St. Louis, died Tuesday, Feb. 6, 1990, in Bay St. Louis.

He was a native and lifelong resident of Bay St. Louis and was former sheriff and tax collector of Hancock County. He was also a city commissioner of Bay St. Louis for seven years and was employed with Louisville and Nashville Railroad for 18 years.

He was a member of Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church and Mississippi Law Enforcement Offaicers Association, Bay St. Louis Rotary Club, Bay-Waveland Rod and Gun Club and St. Stanislaus Rod and Gun Club.

He was preceded in death by a brother, John J. Ladner and a sister, Mrs. Emily Hosmser.

Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Mary Helen Bourageois Ladner of Bay St. Louis; three sons, Syulvan J. Ladner III of Pace, Fla., Don Ladner of Petal and Michael Ladner of Bayu St. Louis; two daughters, Mrs. Mary Toni Ladner Davis of Semmes, Ala., and Ms. Tracy Ann Ladner of Bay St. Louis; and six grandchildren.

Visitation will be tonight at Edmond Fahey Funeral Home from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m. with a rosary at 8:30 p.m.

The processional will leave the funeral home at 10:45 a.m. Friday for Our Lady of the Gulf Chuch, where an 11 a.m. mass will be celebrated. Burial will follow in Cedar Rest Cemetery.

(Sea Coast Echo)

Funeral services will be held on Friday for former Hancock County Sheriff Sylvan J. Ladner Jr.

Ladner died at his Bay St. Louis residence Tuesday night.

A visitation will be held at Edmond Fahey Funeral Home, Bay St. Louis, from 7 to 11 p.m. tonight with a rosary at 8:30 p.m.

Burial will follow on Friday following a 11 a.m. mass at Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church, Bay St. Louis.

Eight of the 16 years Ladner served as sheriff also included the office of tax collector.

Prior to being sheriff, he served as a Bay St. Louis City Commissioner for seven years after being elected in July 1948.

Ladner was first elected sheriff in 1955 for the years of 1956-59, defeating the late Gerald V. Price Sr. in a run-off. Price was later elected Hancock County sheriff and tax collector. Ladner was elected a second time in 1963 for the years of 1964-67, defeating H. (Bully) Zengarling in a run-off. Zengerling was later elected as a Hancock County supervisor.

During Ladner's first two terms as sheriff and tax collector, an incumbent could not succeed himself.

The office of sheriff and tax collector were split for Hancock County and Ladner was elected sheriff in 1971 for the years of 1072-75, winning in a fun-off with James A. (Jim) Ladner.

Ladner was re-elected as sheriff in 1975 in a run-off race with Earl (Buck) Ladner for the term of 1976-79. Buck Ladner had previously served as a Hancock County justice of the peace and at the time he ran against Sylvan Ladner was serving as Hancock County's state representative.

The native of Bay St. Louis was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Sylvan J. Ladner Sr. His father had served 17 years as a city secretary and city commissioner of Bay St. Louis.

Ladner was also employed by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad (CSX Railroad) for 18 years as a clerk-agent.

The former sheriff is survived by his wife, the former Mary Helen Bourgeois of Waveland, five children and six grandchildren.

A graduate of St. Stanislaus, Ladner was a member of Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church and had memberships in the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Association, Bay-Waveland Gun & Rod Club, St. Stanislaus Sideline Club and the Bay St. Louis Rotary Club.

Source: Sea Coast Echo 2/8/1990