Brenda Joy Herrington Cranford, age 85 of Laurel, MS passed away on January 16, 2026.She was born on Sept. 2, 1940. She was the daughter of Thomas Watson and Dollie Terry Herrington of the Pleasant Ridge Community.She was a lifelong member of Our Home Universalist Unitarian Church having been church treasurer for many years. She worked for Pleasant Ridge Water Assn. having started in 1967 and retiring in 2014.

Visitation will be held on Monday, January 19, 2026 from 12:30PM until 2:00PM at Ellisville Funeral Home in 1204 B Ave, Ellisville, Mississippi. Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 19, 2026 at 2:00PM at Ellisville Funeral Home in Ellisville, Mississippi. Burial will follow in Our Home Universalist Cemetery in Ellisville; MS. Joe Herrington will officiate. Ellisville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. 601-477-3797.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 40 plus years Thomas Lee Cranford, step son Michael Cranford, sister Sue Burns, brothers Tom Herrington and Sammy Herrington, brothers-in-law V. A. Moss and Blake Burns, sister-in-law Nelda Herrington, great niece Kayleigh Stoner and Step Grandson Dustin Cranford.

She is survived by Brother Joe (Butch) Herrington (Patsy), sister Nell Moss. 6 nieces, 3 nephews, a number of great and great great nieces and nephews. Step children Tony (Vanessa) and Sandra Cranford, Step Granddaughter Bandice Morris. She also had a special family she said she had adopted and they adopted her, Candis and David Holifield and children Rachel (Josh) and Mason (Megan).

She loved all her family very much and was close to all of them. She had a special love for her namesakes, niece Joy Nicolette (Nicki) Hinton and grandniece Dana Joy Pierce. Ellisville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Instead of flowers, the family request donations be made to Our Home Cemetery in her memory.