Ruth Elizabeth Holland

Ruth Elizabeth Watkins Holland passed away at 4 P.M. June 11, 2017 at Morningstar Memory Care at Bear Creek in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Born in Madill Oklahoma, October 12, 1920, she married Sherman Kelley Holland in 1946 and in Madill they began their married life together. Soon after, Sherman joined the Army and she became a military wife, and was so until Sherman’s retirement in 1967.

Ruth showed great flexibility and resilience – moving the family from Oklahoma; to Arkansas; New Mexico; Hawaii; and, finally, to Texas.

She was a devoted mother, homemaker and the head of the household twice while Sherman was assigned to Korea and Vietnam. Ruth is remembered by her children for encouraging the love of books- by reading the novel Robinson Crusoe aloud in its entirety- along with others. She also nurtured Christian values in them by starting every morning in their young childhood with a reading from the “Upper Room,” including a scripture verse and prayer, as well as taking them to Sunday services every week at the United Methodist Church.

In her later years, she continued to love to read and sew, and could beat anyone at Scrabble. She spent many happy hours at the Colorado Springs Senior Center and was a member of First United Methodist Church.

Ruth is survived by her two children, Joe Holland and spouse, Grace Hafner, Monte Hudson and spouse, LarryHudson; three grandchildren- Aaron Holland and spouse Lana; Benjamin Holland; Jennifer Holland Landis and spouse Steve- as well as two great grandchildren, Taylor Holland and Jeremy Holland.

The tender care provided by the staff at Morningstar Memory Care during the last months of Ruth’s life is greatly appreciated by her family. Ruth and her husband Sherman will be interred together in Arlington National Cemetery, date to be determined, with a memorial service to be held for Ruth at that time. The family appreciates any memorial tributes be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in her memory.