Gerald Craig Ladner

WAYNESVILLE-Gerald Craig Ladner, age 78, completed his earthly sojourn on July 4, 2019. He was born January 22, 1941 to Doris Havens and Walter Arthur (Lad) Ladner in Greenwood, MS. Upon receiving his B.S. in Engineering from Mississippi State University in 1962, Gerry made his career with NASA, starting in the Apollo Saturn IB Project, then the Skylab Program, and ending with the Space Shuttle Program propulsion elements. He retired in 1997 after serving a fulfilling career, having served as the External Tank Project Manager, the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor Project Manager, and the Space Shuttle Main Engines Project Manager, and moved to a log cabin in the tranquil Balsam Mountains of Western North Carolina.

Gerry was preceded in death by his infant son Gerald Jr. (in 1968), his 17-year-old younger daughter Beth (in 1991), and his wife of fifty-three years Jane Rutledge (in 2016).

He is survived by wife Jayne Laskis, daughter Laura Ladner Harwell Jefferis, and grandchildren David Craig and Elizabeth (Ellie) Havens Harwell of Madison, MS.

A memorial service celebrating Gerry’s life will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, November 9, at Providence Church located at 1400 Old Clyde Rd., Clyde, NC. There will be a reception following the service at 2:00 pm at Garrett Funerals and Cremations.

Gerry’s ashes will be interred in Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville, AL.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital at 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.