Dan was born near Elba, AL on July 8, 1933, to parents Clem Ander and Minnie Lee Holley. The fourth of five siblings, Dan was born and raised on his family’s sharecropping farm. After leaving the farm, he enlisted in the Army, becoming an airborne instructor. He subsequently joined the Army military police at Ft. Benning, GA.
After military service, Dan worked in a number of jobs, eventually meeting and marrying Bess McLeod Holley, who predeceased him in 2002. At the start of their marriage, Dan joined Sears Roebuck Company where he worked for 21 years, rising to management positions in the Sears national office. Later in life, Dan started his own real estate investment and construction companies, which were his passions for the remainder of his life.
In 2015, Dan married his wife, Carol Douglas Holley. Carol and Dan enjoyed many travels and celebrations during their life together. Dan was preceded in death by his parents and by his sisters, Truman Fuller, Grace Arnold, and Nadovial Holley. He is survived by his wife, Carol; children, Debra Holley Shoaf (Don), Danny Holley, Jr. (Angie), and David Holley; grandchildren, Donald Shoaf, Jr., Wm. Daniel Shoaf, Diana Holley Shoaf, Roma David Shoaf, Daniel Holley, III, and Samantha Holley; and his brother, Lloyd Holley.
A graveside service in celebration of Dan’s life will be held on Saturday, January 23, 2021, at Parkhill Cemetery in Columbus, GA.
