Grady Montgomery Holland

March 1, 2011, my Papaw, Grady Holland, the Patriarch of our family, went to live with Jesus. Just so I can have it recorded, I have included his obituary on the blog. Blogger would not let me copy and paste, therefore, I typed the whole thing out myself.

As I typed it out, line by line, I couldn't help but think of what injustice these words are. Though these words are all true, as any obituary, these words do not even begin to tell the story of this man's life.

I am thankful however, that my family is the family that has the privileged to tell the story of this Sweet Man's life as we live our own. Throughout our lives - the choices we make, the values we cling to, and by serving those around us, we will be telling the story of Papaw, loud and clear.

I have blogged about Papaw before. You can read about the 64th Wedding Anniversary that he and Mamaw shared, his 95th Birthday that we celebrated last summer, and about Papaw receiving his medals from WWII on Veteran's Day, 2010.

Grady Holland, 95, of Franklin, passed away Tuesday, March 1, 2011.

Born in Macon Co., he was the son of the late Jerry Marr Holland and Hettie Jane Dills Holland. In addition to his parents, he is proceeded in death by a son, Jesse Grady Holland; grandson, David Wayne Holland; four brothers, Charlie Holland, Jack Holland, Dewey Holland, and Watsel Holland and a sister, Gertrude Hughes. Grady was an US Army Veteran and served during WWII under General George Patton. He loved to farm and was a member of Pine Grove Baptist Church.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Betty Margaret Stuman Holland; two sons, Gary Holland and wife Edith, and Randy Holland and wife Christine both of Franklin; daughter, Marianna Solesbee of Hiawasee, GA; nine grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; several step grandchildren and great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00am Friday, March 4, in the Chapel of Macon Funeral Home. Rev. Wiley Gibson, Rev. Brandon Breedlove, Rev. John Rogers will officiate. Burial will be at Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery with full military rites conducted by VFW Post 7339 and American Legion Post 108.

The family will receive friends from 6-8:00pm Thursday, March 3, at Macon Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Barry and Lane Cabe, Cameron and Michael Holland, and Michael and William Hamlin.

Memorial donations can be made to Pine Grove Baptist Church Building Fund, 7454 Highlands Rd, Franklin, NC 28734

Macon Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.