Mrs. Mary Larkins Holland, 90, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and first grade teacher, died peacefully on September 5, 2016.
There will be a graveside service on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 11 a.m. in Greenview Memorial Park with the Rev. Jim Storie officiating.
Mrs. Holland was born in Charlotte, TN and attended Peabody College in Nashville. She married the love of her life, John W. Holland in 1946 and they lived in Florence on Lake Wilson for 45 years. Mary taught first grade at Powell School for 25 years after completing B.S. and M.A. degrees in Early Childhood Education from the now University of North Alabama. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Education honorary and was the Powell School and Florence City Schools “Teacher of the Year” in 1986. She was a long-time member of First Presbyterian Church of Florence.
Always the quintessential southern lady, Mary loved reading and writing poetry, memorizing Scripture, and entertaining her family and friends.
Mary was preceded in death by her loving husband, John William Holland Jr., parents, Wellington and Myrtle Larkins, sisters Elizabeth DePriest and Katie Bass, in-laws, John and Agnes Holland, and son-in-law Thomas Pebworth.
Survivors include daughter, Claire Holland Pebworth; son John William Holland III, (Librada) of Nashville, TN; grandchildren, Will Pebworth (Svetlana) of Decatur, AL, Holly Potts (Les) of Starkville, MS, Sarah Holland of Columbia, TN, Rachel Holland of Brentwood, TN; and five great-grandchildren, Claire and Anna Leslie Potts, and Margaret, Elizabeth and Katherine Pebworth.
The family would like to thank the staff of Genesis Glenwood Center for their incredible love and care over the last 6 years.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be given in Mary’s memory to the John and Mary Holland scholarship fund at the University of North Alabama, UNA Box 5133 Florence, AL 35632.
