William M. Holland III
Published 10:58 am Thursday, August 9, 2018
WAYCROSS, Ga. — William Joseph Moore Holland III left this earth for his heavenly reward on Aug. 8, 2018, from Baptist Village Retirement Communities in Waycross, Georgia.
William J.M. Holland III
A lifelong Christian, he knew that because he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, he was forgiven and will spend eternity with Christ.
He was preceded in death by his parents, W.J.M. Holland Jr. and Helen Winborne Holland; and a “sister,” Helen Jones Majette.
A native of Franklin, Virginia, he attended elementary and high school before graduating from Staunton Military Academy. He attended Randolph Macon College two years prior to joining the Air Force. After serving four years he returned to Franklin where he met and married his wife. He then attended V.P.I. for one and a half years before moving back to Franklin and working in his father’s funeral home. He later went to work for Hercules Inc. and was transferred to the Brunswick, Georgia, plant in 1974 as the assistant office manager, later becoming the office manager before being terminated in 1978.
Leaving Hercules, he worked for Sossner Tap and Tool Co. for three years before accepting a salesman’s job with The Vernon Company of Newton, Iowa. He became a sales professional specializing in advertising specialties. His selling territory was in SE Georgia and NE Florida. He retired in 2009 after 26 years with Vernon.
He was a longtime member of First Baptist Church where he sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, was the former Adult Sunday School director, was an active deacon and served twice as the chairman. He chaired the Men’s Brotherhood plus he led the Senior Adults for nine years. He and his wife led the Bereavement Committee for several years plus numerous other duties. He was selected as “Man of The Year” in 2002 and awarded Deacon Emeritus status by the church in 2009.
He had served as a volunteer at Satilla Hospital, regularly attended Mayo Health and Wellness Center and was a member of the Thursday Morning Men’s Prayer Breakfast.
Holland served four years in the Air Force and was a veteran of the Korean War. He earned four Air Medals while flying 75 combat missions as a radio operator. He rotated to Texas where he served for two years as an airborne radio operator training navigators.
He served as Worshipful Master of the Masonic Lodge, was past president of both the Kiwanis and Lions Clubs, served as cub master and district chairman of the Boy Scouts, all in Franklin, prior to moving to Georgia.
He loved his family and grandchildren. He enjoyed reading, doing jigsaw puzzles, woodworking and painting. He gave away most of his paintings to family and friends. For years he made little wooden Christmas tree ornaments for his wife’s elementary students. He loved emailing with his friends and enjoyed his grandsons.
Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Patty Bowling Holland; two sons, Andrew T. Holland (Donna) of Brunswick, Georgia, and Brian K. Holland (Julie) of Parkland, Florida; two grandsons, Andrew J. Holland of Boynton Beach, Florida, and Matthew Colby Holland of Darien, Georgia; a great-grandson, Grayson Holland of Darien; one brother, Sam W. Holland (Sal) of Richmond, Virginia; plus several nieces and nephews.
Memorialization is by cremation.
The memorial service will be on Saturday, Aug. 11, at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Waycross.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday in Music Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the First Baptist Church Renovation Fund, 702 Elizabeth St., Waycross, GA 31501, or a charity of your choice.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing the online registry at www.musicfuneralhome.com.
Music Funeral Home of Waycross is in charge of arrangements.