John Kenneth Bramlett Sr.

John Kenneth “Ken” Bramlett, Sr. peacefully passed from this earth and entered into the arms of his Heavenly Father on the morning of March 22, 2021 at home surrounded by loved ones at the age of 86. Visitation will be held on Tues. March 23, 2021 from 4pm-6pm at Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Brandon, MS and on Wed. March 24, 2021 from 10am-10:45am at the Brandon Presbyterian Church in Brandon, MS. Funeral Services are 11am on Wed. March 24, 2021 at Brandon Presbyterian Church with burial to follow in the Collins City Cemetery in Collins, MS.

Ken, also known as “Daddy” or “Paw” to those blessed to have been his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, “Coach” to those blessed to have played for him and “Kenneth” to Nancy, his wife of 66 years and the love of his life, leaves behind the legacy of a good and faithful servant.

Ken was born and raised in Jefferson, Texas where he lettered in football, baseball and basketball at Jefferson High.  He went on to letter in football and baseball at Perkinston Junior College (now Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College) and then at Mississippi College before beginning his long, successful career as an educator and coach.  Coach Bramlett served various roles including Athletic Director, Football Coach, Baseball Coach and History teacher at Clinton High School, Forest High School, Mississippi College, Prentiss High School, Northwest Community College, and Rankin County School District where he served as Assistant Superintendent.  As a reflection of his dedication to the field of athletics and all the lives he touched along the way, Coach Bramlett has been inducted into the Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame (2019), the Mississippi College Athletics Hall of Fame (2003), and the Scott County Hall of Fame (2020).  Ken was the President of the Little Dixie Conference, was on the Board of Directors of the MAC in the 1960s, won the Little Dixie Conference while being selected as Coach of the Year in 1959 and 1969, received the Jackson Touchdown Club Certificate of Merit in 1969 and was a Mississippi College M Club member.  Coach Bramlett was featured in two books, “Gridiron Gold” and “Gridiron Glory and Jucos.” In addition to coaching, Ken was also very involved in real estate in Brandon, was an avid golfer and loved to hunt and fish with his family and friends.

Although he has held many playbooks in his hands, “The Holy Bible” is the playbook that Ken is most known for following as he has led his family and his teams throughout the years.  Paw, a long-time Deacon, prayed for his family fervently and was sure to read scripture and pray over everyone at each time the family was together.  Coach Bramlett took his teams to Sunday night prayer meeting at the beginning of each season and was very active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to make sure he fulfilled all of his duties that had been entrusted to him by God.

Coach Bramlett is survived by his wife, Nancy Stringer Bramlett; two children, Pamela O’Bryan (Patrick) and Bubba Bramlett (Celeste); brother, Lee Ben Bramlett; grandchildren, Nancy Nicole “Nicki” Bramlett Harvey (Will), John Kenneth “Jake” Bramlett III (Crystal), Taylor O’Bryan (Elena), Austin O’Bryan (Katie), Preston O’Bryan and Sadie Elizabeth Bramlett; great grandchildren, Cannon Thomas Coghlan, Rhett Tyler Mason, KenLee Marie Bramlett and his nieces, Marcia Herrington Bracken (Chris), Courtney Bramlett Simmons (Hank) and Brooke Bramlett Coogan (Patrick). Coach Bramlett is preceded in death by his parents, John Grady Bramlett and Nellie Cloninger Bramlett; sister in law, Judy Bramlett; sister in law, Kathryn S. Barrett (Grant) and a nephew, Johnny Herrington.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Palmer House at P.O. Box 746 Columbus, MS 39703 or to the Brandon Presbyterian Church at 209 South College St. Brandon, MS 39042.