Dorothy V. Holland's Obituary
Dorothy Virginia Carroll Holland quietly left this world for the next on Monday morning, December 5, 2016, ninety-four years after entering it. Dorothy came from a line of long-lived women, including her mother Daisy, with whom she kept company until Daisy’s passing at age 101. Dorothy grew up in Dallas, Texas as the singular daughter of Melvin James Carroll and Daisy Pearl Gentry Carroll. She saw WWII as the young military bride of her true love Alvin Everett Holland, created a solid home and beautiful family, and tragically lost Alvin far before his time. Over a span of nine decades, she saw the dawn of television, the inspiration of space travel, the anxiety of Vietnam, and the rise of the internet. Until the very final days, Dorothy kept most of her faculties. Most amazingly, she could hear a pin drop, or a card played, or a sentence whispered at twenty paces. She enjoyed a good joke, and had a regular seat at the dining table of her long-time home, the Bentley. Whenever leaving her home, she always had her “face” on, with her trademark lilac eye shadow, not a hair out of place, bejeweled and dressed to the nines! She played a wicked hand at bridge, and when the local partners gave out, she could be found playing with internet partners on her iPad. She wasn’t technically savvy, but she was technically adept; she learned to place orders efficiently on the TV shopping networks, and then practiced often. Dorothy raised two children, Alvin Everett, Jr., (wife Tricia MacGregor Holland), and Deborah Ann, (husband Jim Oliver), to be successful adults, with strong careers and exceptional families. She adored her grandchildren (Trey Holland, Julie Holland Sedberry, Ryan Holland, Lauren Mattil, Josh Mattil, Michael Oliver, and Colby Oliver) and then her great-grandchildren (Grace Sedberry, Sam Sedberry, Witt Sedberry, Kaylee Holland, Jack Holland, and Makayla Oliver). She loved to follow their lives and families on Facebook. Dorothy was a steady Methodist, until it became physically difficult to make it to church on Sundays. But during her attending days, she had her parking place and pew seat staked out, and was there regularly to occupy them. Her faith told her, and tells us now, that she is at long last rejoined with her mother and father, with all those friends that left early, and most longingly felt, with her dear Alvin. In lieu of flowers, friends are invited to donate in Dorothy’s name to Walnut Hill United Methodist Church. Visitation with the family will be at Restland Memorial, on Friday, December 9, from 5pm to 7:30pm. Services will be held at Walnut Hill United Methodist Church, on Saturday, December 10, at 1 pm, with a reception to follow. All are invited to say a last goodbye, and give a hearty send-off to the remarkable and memorable Dorothy.
What’s your fondest memory of Dorothy?
What’s a lesson you learned from Dorothy?
Share a story where Dorothy's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Dorothy you’ll never forget.
How did Dorothy make you smile?