Juanita Yvonne Holland

In the early morning hours of Saturday, August 28th our sweet Mother graduated into heaven. She carried her sense of humor with her all the way to her final peaceful sleep. She had wonderful caregivers (Bastrop Nursing Center) & the last song she sang on one of our phone visits was "Jesus Loves Me This I Know". And then she cracked up laughing! She loved Jesus! Bless her sweet spirit always. *Psalm 91:11 "For He shall give His angels charge over you to keep you in all thy ways".

Juanita "Nita" Yvonne (Rice) Holland was born on May 1, 1925 in Austin, Texas at the old Brackenridge Hospital on (Main Street) which became IH35. She was the 3rd child of Mertie Irene Rice (Dabbs) & attended the original Palm Elementary School on East 1st ATX. Juanita & her 2 siblings (Walter & Jo) eventually landed in Bryan-College Station with the remarriage of her mother & attended Bryan high school graduating from the Broncos in 1943. Nita married her high school sweetheart Thomas "Tom" M. Holland Jr who graduated from A&M, became a pilot in the newly formed US Air Force and they entered the life of a military couple. It was post WWII & the adventure began.

Nita & Tom enjoyed fishing, hunting & fun times with friends while being stationed in Munich, Germany. They took many photos & tried to do some side trips which included Paris & London. During this assignment their first born son entered this world & Juanita found herself caring for her baby boy & 2 Scotties with the help of a German "nanny". The female Scottie gave birth to puppies under Tommy’s crib. Momma Scottie fiercely defended her puppies and Tommy from all males, including her own mate, from entering the room. Tommy was 11 months old when the couple was reassigned & Juanita found herself on a steam ship headed back to the States while daddy-Tom stayed behind to wrap things up. They stopped in Bryan, TX for Tommy’s 1st birthday. It was such a slow news day Tommy and his mom and grandmothers ended up on the front page of the Bryan Daily Eagle. From Bryan they were stationed in Sacramento, CA, then Roswell, NM and then Lake Charles, LA. It didn't take long for daughter Molly Jo to arrive. Within a few years the family was reassigned again & stationed in Austin, Texas.

Austin, Texas became the final AF base that husband Tom (Lt Col Thomas M. Holland) was stationed at and retired early from due to illness. The Bergstrom AFB housed the huge B52 bombers which he piloted on several missions. At the time Bergstrom, our current airport, was a major part of the Strategic Air Command Alert Force. Which meant a lot of flying. The noise from the engines could be heard at our house in S. Austin and was so loud it shattered our patio door twice. Tom's retirement turned into a teaching job at Molly's junior high which was an interesting era for all. Mom’s life was serving and caring for others. She raised her 2 children to be kind and considerate human beings. She and Tom gave their children lots of opportunities with dance lessons, baseball, scouting and school activities. She was also the president of the AISD Parents and Teacher Association and she was president of the Officers Wives club at Bergstrom AFB.

Tommy says the following incident gave him a lesson in compassion and giving that he will never forget.

It was an early summer day around noon when the doorbell rang. Mother answered the door and a scruffily dressed man was standing there, asking for some food. Mom said sure I’ll make you some sandwiches and you can eat on the patio where it’s cool. Tommy sat outside with the man and listened to him talk. Tommy said he learned that appearances are deceptive. The man seemed harmless and kind. Tommy asked mom why she did that. She said her grandmother provided her a lesson in humility. Mom said her grandmother told her that many ‘Hobo’s’ (what society called them) would use creeks to navigate through a city and leave markers for others to find and hopefully get fed. Her grandmother had a boarding house on West Ave in Austin. The boarding house was close to Shoal Creek so it was easy for the ‘Hobo’ men to make it there. Mom’s grandmother would feed them and let them rest in the shade awhile.

Juanita was a kind and giving devout Christian who loved Jesus & was a member of St. David's Episcopal Church. She volunteered at their Next to New shop & loved working there. She occasionally had her (elementary age) grandson Allyn go with her to help in the store which brought a lot of joy to her. Mom was always buying trinkets she came across & shared her treasures with others especially if she found something a bit unique. She even found an old crank Victrola complete with spare needles and records which she held back to give Tommy enough time to get there and buy it. The Victrola is still working and sometimes Tommy will play a record and remember how grateful he is for having such a kind and loving mother. She was also a big fan of Kenneth Copeland Ministries & attended the SW Believers convention with her daughter & grandson. It was a fun time and she was able to have a few more adventures & accomplish a few dreams like going back to London, England. After nearly 40 years she went back to England & was able to see the Queen's guard and so many of the sights she once visited after WWII when she was a young military bride. A brave adventurous soul who ventured out on a few occasions to tour sights not seen & enjoy the company of other ladies her age. Juanita was also an aspiring artist who always wanted to develop her talent further and she enjoyed dabbling in her paints & creating a few "masterpieces". She had talent.

Juanita became Grand-mommy with the birth of Molly's son Allyn S. Hunt whom she adores. She lovingly became step-Grandma to Brion Edie when Molly remarried to Art Edie and her grandma role expanded. Nita is survived by her loving children, son Tom, his wife Laura, daughter Molly & husband Art, grandson's Allyn & Brion; Juanita's younger brother Don D. Dabbs & his wife Theresa and their daughters Michelle and Dana; nephews Dexter Hodge & Jeff Hodge & their respective families. Nita will be dearly missed yet we know that she graduated into heaven in peace, job well done sweet Mama. You headed for the exit on your own terms. On and off Hospice three times. Tommy called you the “Timex Mom”. You could take a licking and keep on ticking. When she was ready to ‘leave the building’ she did so peacefully in her sleep. We are fortunate to have known, loved, and shared in the life of Juanita, our mother, grandma, sister, aunt and friend.