illness. Russell was born in Mobile, Alabama on November 19, 1935, to Gilbert Russell Ladd,
Jr., and Sadie Davis Ladd. He graduated from University Military School in 1953 as the
valedictorian of twenty-five cadets. Russell graduated from Washington and Lee University in
1957 after serving as president of his fraternity and editor of the school’s yearbook. He served
six months active duty in the United States Army from which he has more stories than many
career military generals. He then returned home to Mobile to work in and later manage his
family’s insurance agency, Thames & Batré. After a brief romance, he married the love of his
life, Katherine Thorpe Christian (Kay), in 1962. He often claimed that he was married on a
Thursday so as “not to mess up anybody’s weekend,” but we all know that he couldn’t wait for
a Saturday to become available at the church. He was a lifelong member of Christ Church
Cathedral and served regularly on the vestry. Russell donated much of his time serving on the
boards of United Way of Southwest Alabama and Infirmary Health, as Chairman of the Board
of Trustees UMS-Wright Preparatory School, and as President of the Mobile Rotary Club, the
Rotary Children’s Foundation, Goodwill Easter Seals, the Gordon Smith Center and the
Metropolitan YMCA. He was a founding member of the Mitchell College of Business
Executive Advisory Council and a longtime board member of Regions Bank. He was devoted
to Alabama Delta Alliance, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, and Mobile United. Russell was also an
avid fisherman who loved the Mobile River Delta and devoted much of his time to its
preservation. He created a short online video on the Delta at DeltaAwareness.com. Russell
was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Kay; brother, best friend,
and business partner, Edward Bradford Ladd, Sr.; and three sons, Gilbert Russell Ladd, IV
(Nancy), Banks Christian Ladd (Mary Carol), and Allen Hunter Ladd, Sr. (Jan). He is also
survived by seven grandchildren: Gilbert Russell Ladd, V (Russell); Allen Hunter Ladd, Jr.
(Hunter); Audrey Davis Ladd; Katherine Christian Ladd (Katie); Eugenia Lynn Ladd (Genie);
Sadie Davis Ladd, and Virginia Carol Ladd. A service will be held at Christ Church Cathedral
in Mobile on Friday, February 18, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests
memorials be made to UMS-Wright Preparatory School, The Rotary Children’s Foundation,
Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast, The Infirmary Foundation, or a charity of your
choice.
