Biloxi, MS
Funeral Home
Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home
Visitation
Tuesday, November 25, 2025, 12-12:45 pm, St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, 502 Jackson Ave., Ocean Springs, MS.
Service
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated, Tuesday, November 25, 2025, 1:00 p.m., St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, 502 Jackson Ave., Ocean Springs, MS.
Obituary
Military Service Tribute, Honors, and Obituary:
Recognizing and Honoring a Fallen Hero, Who Served Within the Mississippi National Guard. “Fallen, Yet Not Forgotten”.
In recognition of our proud American tradition of honorable service which our military men and women have given to their country and our State, we honor a Fallen Hero. Our nation, our state, and the National Guard Association of MS (NGAMS) regard the memorializing of its retired military deceased as an honorable and sacred obligation.
Another great Soldier and Fallen Hero has been released from duty, passed from our ranks on October 20, 2025, and has moved on to her heavenly home. Former Sergeant Rhonda Lynn Balius, age 68, who had served in the 1355th Supply and Services Company has departed and gone to a better place with our good Lord. Balius served over ten years in the 1355th S&S Company after which she went active duty serving in Germany.
It takes a special person to serve within the military for their country, giving up their family time, comfort, and safety for their country, ultimately for all Americans to enjoy their freedoms, safety, and way of life. We now applaud you for your service to our country. A special message from General Douglas McArthur remains applicable today for our servicemen that have passed: “Old Soldiers never die; they just fade away”.
Rest in Peace Soldier. We applaud your patriotism, sacrifices, and brave efforts in serving our country and your family for their support of your service. We thank you for your service. Without your efforts and your families’ support, our country would not stand so boldly, shine so bright, and live so free.
You now have earned a rest, so go fly with the Angels, go rest high on that mountain; your work on earth is done. Go to heaven a-shoutin’ Love for the Father and the Son.
Another great Soldier has gone home, “Fallen, Yet Not Forgotten, Soldier for Life”.
Obituary, Visitation, and Service Details:
Rhonda Lynn Balius, 68, of Biloxi, Mississippi, passed away surrounded by her family on Monday, October 20, 2025.
Rhonda was born on August 26, 1957, in Biloxi, Mississippi, to her parents, Ronald Anthony Balius, Sr. and Melba O. Brumbaugh Balius. She attended Ocean Springs High School, graduating with the Class of 1976, where she was voted Most Athletic Girl in her senior year. During her time there, she was an active member of the school newspaper staff, student council, pep squad, tennis, track, basketball, and softball teams.After high school, Rhonda attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College – Jackson County Campus, where she continued to excel as a member of the tennis team. Through a scholarship program, she went on to attend the University of Southern Mississippi, where she earned the title of Mississippi State Champion in tennis and represented USM in the national regional competition held in Tennessee.
A proud veteran of the United States Army, Rhonda served her country with dedication and honor as part of the 1355th S&S Co. Mississippi Army National Guard in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Following her service with the Army National Guard, she became an active-duty service member in the United States Army and was stationed in Germany for several years, where she held the rank of Sergeant (E-5).
After her time in the military, Rhonda continued her lifelong commitment to public service through her work as a Beautification Ground Maintenance Supervisor for the Parks and Recreation Department in the City of Biloxi. She later transferred to Donal Snyder Community Center where she concluded her career as a Center Supervisor. She took great pride in making her hometown a more beautiful place for everyone to enjoy and retired after 31 years of dedicated service.
Known for her generosity and selflessness, Rhonda was the kind of person who would do anything for anyone. She was always there to lend a helping hand to a neighbor or a friend, never expecting anything in return. Her kindness, loyalty, and sense of humor made her beloved by all who knew her.
Rhonda loved spending time outdoors and found peace and satisfaction in caring for the world around her. Whether at work or at home, she had an eye for beauty and took pride in keeping her surroundings vibrant and full of life.
Family was at the center of everything Rhonda did. She shared a close bond with her brother, Bubba, and her sister, Tina, and she adored her nieces and nephew, who brought her endless joy. She was the family’s biggest cheerleader, always ready with words of encouragement, laughter, or love.
Rhonda was preceded in death by her parents; her maternal grandparents, Alonzo and Melvina Gill Brumbaugh; and her paternal grandparents, Herman and Otis Middleton Conway and Floyd A. Balius, Sr.
She is survived by her brother, Ronald “Bubba” (Aline) Balius, Jr.; her sister, Tina Balius Cowart; her nieces, Olivia (Natalie) Geiser and Ashleen M. Balius; her nephew, Hunter A. Balius; and her many loving aunts and uncles.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, celebrating Rhonda’s giving spirit and love for others, or to the Humane Society of South Mississippi, reflecting her lifelong love of animals.
The family wishes to extend their sincere appreciation to the many doctors and staff of the Biloxi Veterans Administration, as well as to Dr. Ediz Tasan and his staff, for their dedication and kindness. Deepest thanks are also extended to the staff of Ocean Springs Hospital SICU and to Dr. Jason Williams and his team for their compassionate and attentive care. The family further expresses their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Gaye Stewart-Damron and her staff for their gentle care and enduring friendship toward our sister.
Those who knew Rhonda will remember her as a woman of quiet strength, endless compassion, and a heart that never stopped giving. Her legacy will live on in the beauty she helped create and the lives she touched along the way.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, 502 Jackson Ave., Ocean Springs, MS. Visitation will be from 12:00-12:45 p.m. in the church. Interment will follow at the Biloxi National Cemetery at 2:30 p.m.
Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes is honored to serve the family of Rhonda Lynn Balius.