Jerrye G Hollis

Jerrye was born to Edward Samuel Colvin Ewing and Elsie Mae Drake Ewing in Birmingham. Born into a family of older siblings, her brother Colvin teased Jerrye, as big brothers will, and called her the flower of the family--the blooming idiot. Jerrye met the love of her life, Coy F. Hollis, at the age of 5. After tasting her mud pies, 6-year-old Coy asked Mr. Ewing for her hand in marriage. Jerrye’s father gave Coy his blessing.Thirteen years later, when Coy asked Mr. Ewing once again for Jerrye’s hand, Ed said, “Hell, boy. I already said yes. How many times are you going to ask?” Jerrye, despite her brother’s teasing about her intelligence, was sharp as a tack. She could read people and knew what made them tick. She also excelled in calculations, especially consumer math, and served as bookkeeper for the family business in the eighties and nineties. Jerrye was the life of the party and a gracious, generous hostess. She loved music, laughter, and, above all, her family. Following high school, Jerrye attended college for two years and then began her life’s work as a devoted wife and mother. She and Coy labored to raise two precocious children, Randall and Valerie, and Jerrye lovingly supported her husband and their family as he earned his master’s and doctoral degrees. Jerrye was the quintessential southern lady. She was sweet and charming and tough as nails. She was a maker of traditions and a breaker of conventions.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Coy; her siblings Anna Laura Medlin and Colvin “Carl” Ewing; her dear niece Terry Lee Ewing; and her beloved nephews Edward Thornton Prickett and Billy Cardwell.

She will be sadly missed by her children, Coy Randall Hollis and spouse Donna, and daughter, Valerie Dawn Carter and spouse Richard; her sister-in-law Shirley Cardwell and nephews Matt, Josh, and Gene and their families; her niece Michelle Renee Swanson and daughters Kara and Nina; her grandchildren Holli Dianne Hollis, Tristan Adam Hollis, and Stephan Howard Hollis, and Meredith Licht and Macy Licht, and their spouses; her great-grandchildren Kyle Tinsley, Sophia Tinsley, Matthew Gage Harbor, Jackson Noah Mitchell, Samuel Lee Hollis, Donovan Tre Hollis, Devin Coy Hollis, Jeremiah Kenneth Hollis, and Jack Carter Heintz.