Megan Ladd, 39

Megan Perfield Ladd, 39, of Rochester, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester of complications from pancreatic cancer, at peace and with members of her family beside her. Megan had been diagnosed with this disease only a few weeks earlier, and maintained a determined strength and quiet dignity throughout her battle in her final week at Strong. A native of Marcellus, Megan (born Nov. 2, 1977) was the only daughter of Kevin D. and the late Sandra J. Ladd. Megan was 1995 graduate of Marcellus High School and a 1999 graduate of St. John Fisher College in Rochester, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism.
Megan started her career as an editor for the Skaneateles Press and Marcellus Observer newspapers, and gravitated towards face-to-face engagement with people, eventually specializing in human resources. Most recently, Megan was a human resources manager at Concentrix in Pittsford, where she oversaw HR support services to a global field staff of over 7,000 employees across the U.S. and Canada. In this role, Megan managed the new hire process, oversaw data integrity of the human resources support services systems and managed benefits and training for hundreds of employees. She earned the distinction of PHR (Professional in Human Resources) demonstrating her mastery of the technical and operational aspects of HR management based on her dedicated work accomplishments. Outside of work, Megan was known for her cooking skills, making and sharing jams, jellies, pickles and especially cookies. She won the 2015 New York State Fair grand champion award for a jelly recipe and a third place State Fair award in 2017 for a spiced molasses cookie that the judges deemed “decadent and irresistible.” She touched many lives by her compassion and concern for others, bringing constant smiles and laughter to a wide circle of friends and co-workers through a lively approach to life, always sunny disposition and an everyday habit of seeking fun with friends – especially her “Golden Girls” group – at every chance.
Megan is survived by her father Kevin and stepmother Gita Ladd of Pasadena, MD, her brother Dr. Jason S. Ladd, PhD, Symphonic Bands Director at Nicholls State University in Louisiana; many aunts, uncles and cousins across the U.S.; and numerous friends and colleagues who have been part of her full but all-too-short life.
The family requests that tribute donations to support pancreatic cancer research in Megan’s memory be made on-line at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network website (pancan.org).
Visiting hours will be held from 5 – 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 13, at the Plis Funeral Home at 33 North St., Marcellus. Funeral services, with burial at Highland Cemetery immediately afterwards, will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14 at the funeral home.
After the burial, a memorial service involving her large circles of friends and co-workers in Rochester will take place at 3:30 p.m. at the Hermantz Family at St. Basil the Great Chapel at St. John Fisher College. A celebration of life reception will follow at Cleary Auditorium.
To leave a condolence or light a candle please visit plisfuneralhome.com.