Jody Wise

Born in 1953 in Idaho Falls, Idaho to Albert and Virginia Wise, the family relocated soon after to Las Vegas, Nevada where Jody spent her childhood. There, Jody met and married Tex Orland Holster and together, they had four beautiful children: Christina Jo, Sarah Dawn, Rachel Virginia, and David Alan. The young family moved to several locations in Oregon and Nevada for Tex’s work. In 1992, Jody and the children settled in Abilene, Texas where she was a loyal and trusted administrative worker within the medical community until her retirement in 2007.

A lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jody provided decades of selfless service in a variety of voluntary callings. Among the many roles where she donated her time and talent, some of Jody's favorites were working in the Houston, Texas temple and serving as a young women's teacher and advisor. But Jody's true passion was working with the youth of the church as a seminary teacher. Her sense of humor, warmth, and fervent testimony of the gospel made her a favorite with her students, who she cherished in return.

A deeply devoted grandmother, Jody’s favorite hobby in her later years was spending time with her grandchildren, to whom she was a source of constant affection and kindness. Jody’s friends and family will remember her as an avid reader, an avid Elvis fan, and an enthusiastic lover of cows, who she was known to greet whenever she happened to pass one (which, in Texas, was fortunately often). Jody will be deeply missed by the multitude of people whose lives she touched, but leaves a legacy of love for all who were fortunate enough to know her.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Virginia Wise; her daughter, Sarah Dawn Betts; and the father of her children, Tex Orland Holster.

She is survived by her daughters Christina Jo Holster of Turner, Oregon and Rachel Virginia Lauer of Abilene, Texas; her son David Alan Holster of Carrollton, Texas; her sister Marsha Lance and husband Richard Lance of Wichita Falls, Texas; her sister Sherry Roach and husband Bill Roach of West Valley, Utah; and her grandchildren Hannah Holster, Madison Betts, Jacob Betts, Jaya Betts, Devin Scribner, David Lauer, and Liam Lauer.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, December 9, at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 5701 Highway 277 South, Abilene, TX 79606. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association: act.alz.org.