Dr. Ida Gillard Brandon

Dr. Ida Gillard Brandon, age 88, a resident of Bowie, Maryland, was born on June 27, 1936, in Green County, North Carolina. As her daughter sang spiritual songs over her, she transitioned peacefully into the presence of her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center, Lanham, Maryland. She was the third child born to Closton Gillard and Emily T. Gillard. She attended the public school system of Lenoir County, North Carolina, where she graduated from Frink High School, La Grange, North Carolina in 1954.

At an early age, Ida received Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and was baptized at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, LaGrange, North Carolina. Later she converted to Catholicism and joined St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Petersburg, Virginia. In the later years of her life, she returned to her spiritual roots as a Baptist while living in Bowie, Maryland and attended Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Lanham, Maryland. Her faith was strong, and she often declared, “God is a good God.”

On February 27, 1960, Ida and Joseph Brandon, of Oxford, North Carolina, were joined in Holy Matrimony. From their union, they were blessed with one child, a daughter, Cynthia Michelle Brandon, whom they simply adored and loved with all their heart.

Although she had a deep desire to be a motion picture actress, Ida was a born educator who knew very early on that teaching was her calling and purpose. So, it was no surprise when she received her Bachelor of Science degree in English and French from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (A&T), Greensboro, North Carolina in 1958; a Master of Science degree in Secondary Education and English from Virginia State University, Petersburg, Virginia in 1970; and a Doctor of Education degree in the Field of Higher Education Administration from George Washington University, Washington, DC in 1976. She completed and received post-doctoral certificates at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In 1958, Ida embarked on her career as a teacher and taught English and Drama at Peterson High School, Red Spring, North Carolina. She taught English and French at Sampson High School, Clinton, North Carolina. In 1961, she moved to Ettrick, Virginia, joined the faculty at Carter G. Woodson High School, Hopewell, Virginia, and continued working in the field of Education.

In 1964, Ida accepted a position as chairperson of the English Department at Peabody High School with the Petersburg Public School System, Petersburg, Virginia. In 1970, she was appointed Dean of Students at Petersburg High School by the Superintendent, but served in that position for only a brief time before joining her husband at Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland. During her 34-year tenure at Bowie State, Ida served as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of English, the first Director of Career Planning and Placement, Director of Continuing Education, first Dean of Graduate School and Continuing Education, Assistant Provost and Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education, and Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Although she moved from the classroom to administration in higher education, Ida never stopped teaching. She believed every child could learn and wanted every young person to graduate from college. She helped many Bowie State students, as well as Bowie employees, especially if they worked in her office, complete their degrees. Under her leadership as Dean, Bowie State’s Graduate School offered classes and degrees overseas in several countries in Europe and Asia with the University of Maryland. Every year in May, she traveled to Heidelberg, Germany to confer those degrees and meet with her students and faculty on American Military Installations.

Ida belonged to many professional organizations including American Personnel and Guidance Association, Maryland Student Personnel Association, Middle Atlantic Association for Schools, Colleges, and University Staffing, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Association for Career Development in Higher Education, Adult Education Association of The United States of America, Pi Delta Phi National French Honor Society, Phi Delta Kappa Professional Organization, La Grange Frink Alumni and Friends Association, Board of Directors for the Closton Gillard Scholarship Foundation, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Society of Golden Aggies, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She was also nominated and selected into Who’s Who Among America’s Women of Prince George’s County and into Who’s Who Among America’s Educators of the State of Maryland.

Ida’s favorite holiday was Christmas. Every year, like clockwork, the day after Thanksgiving, she would start decorating her home and would work her way over to her siblings’ homes to encourage them to do the same. Her Christmas decorations were spectacular—from her 14-feet-tall Christmas trees to the strobing outdoor lights. Every Christmas Eve, family members and friends knew to be at her home by 6:30pm for her annual Christmas Eve party to enjoy scrumptious food, exchange Christmas gifts, and enjoy great fellowship. It was quite an event. No one could ever forget Ida’s famous Sweet Potato Pies that she made for Christmas Day Dinner. She would only make three pies for a gathering of over 40 people each year, and not a single one of the pies made it to the dining room table intact because they were so delicious! Anyone’s attempt to hide a whole pie was futile, because someone would always manage to find the pie and cut into it. Her brothers-in-law nicknamed her “Ms. Christmas,” a nickname she wore well!

Birthdays were also very special to Ida. From the time she was a little girl, she absolutely loved to celebrate her birthday. She thought she was the only person who had a birthday to celebrate. Her office staff at Bowie State would have an annual birthday celebration in her office for her. Many of the campus employees stopped by to wish her a happy birthday and join in the festivities. Ida would act so surprised every year. She loved her staff, family, and friends, and she enjoyed spending time with them. She had a unique way of making everyone, from babies to elders, feel special. She was a devoted wife, mother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, cousin, and friend. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Ida was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Brandon; her father and mother, Closton and Emily Gillard; siblings, Tommie Gillard, Mary Gillard Ingram, and Jean Gillard Wicks; and two brothers-in-law, Charles E. Wicks and Charlie Ingram, Jr. She leaves to cherish her memory, one daughter, Cynthia Michelle Brandon; one sister, Joyce B. McDaniel (Michael); one aunt, Azalee Brown; six nieces, Pamela I. Weedon, Lori I. Tabolov (Tairbek), Kara I. Dukes (Donnie), Lynette W. Vaughn (Robert), Yvonnie D. Lowe, and Sarah Davis; four nephews, Carlton Gillard (Doris), Freddie Tann (Elva), Cornell Brandon, Jr., and Leroy Brandon; one brother-in-law, Cornell Brandon, Sr.; seven great nieces, Ashleigh Weedon, Tyler Dukes, Jaime Jackson (Marshall), Sharon Jomoka (Jamir), Sherene Penuel (Walter), Nekisha Herring (Delvin), and Erica Bizzell; seven great-nephews, Evan Vaughn, Brett Gillard (Roxanne), Justice W. Dukes, Brian McDaniel (Felecia), Linwood Davis, Jr., Bryan Bizzell (Shenita), and Brandon Bizzell; two sisters by choice, Mary G. Johnson (Frank) and Mable Griffin; three nephews by choice, Donald Best, Edmond Best (Peggy), and Bobby Tann (Wanda); six special cousins, Vandelia Joyner Taylor, Laura Joyner, Carolyn Pinckney, Judy Shaw, Bobby Brown (Yvette), and Emmitt Wooten, Jr.; five godchildren, Kara I. Dukes, LaMarr Funn, Sharon Johnson, Gregory Hayes (Chontrese), and Marc Hayes (Tafra); nine special friends, Gretchen Taylor, Felicia Greenfield, Dorethea Branch, Beatrice Kelly, Jackie Pyatt, Bessie Mae Smith, Doris A. Jackson, Marvis Brown, Charlotte Branch, and numerous cousins and friends.

Lovingly submitted, The Family