David Scott "Scotty" Holland

Scotty was born on the 26th of March 1931 in Havana, Arkansas, the second of six children to Mae Elizabeth Scott and William Dewey Holland. His family moved to Abilene, Texas in 1946 where he met his high school sweetheart, Jacque Nell Hunter, the love of his life, soul mate, best friend, uniting in marriage in 1952. Scotty and Jacque Nell had the first of their two sons, David Scott Jr., in 1953 while stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi. Their second son, Terrence Hunter, was born while Scotty was attending the University of Texas at Austin.

Together, the two traversed life’s passages. Many evenings and weekends were shared as volunteer, supervisor/leader of cub scouts, boy scouts, PTA suppers, coaching of Pee Wee sport programs, bible school teachers and most of all ensuring the nurturing of their two children in ethics, integrity, and perseverance. Christian principles were taught and practiced with not only their children but friends and associates.

Scotty always had a strong commitment to excellence and never tired from achieving self-imposed goals. After graduating from Abilene High School in 1949, where he was the first recipient of the Thornton Award, presented to the school’s best athlete, Holland enrolled at Hardin-Simmons lettering in football. He credits the development of his competitive nature to having played football under Coach Warren Woodson and has been known to say "teams are made up of players and leaders, and in most cases, unless a player is able to follow, he will never lead."

In 1951, Scotty enlisted in the United States Air Force to serve his country after North Korean hostilities began. He served as an airborne radio operator aboard a B-25 Mitchell aircraft.

Following his military service, he entered the University of Texas at Austin, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology in 1957. Scotty’s early professional career, as an exploration geologist, was spent in Midland, Texas, with Marathon Oil Company and Pennzoil Company. Eventually, Scotty guided Pennzoil Exploration and Production Company in the worldwide search for hydrocarbons as President and Chief Executive Officer, also serving as Group Vice President of the parent, Pennzoil Company, before retiring in 1990.

Scotty was a recipient of Hardin Simmons University’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1983, as well as being awarded, by the same university, an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1990. Additionally at Hardin Simmons University, Scotty helped fund the Holland School of Sciences and Mathematics, Holland Medical High School and the future establishment of the Holland School of Health Sciences.

He has established the Hunter-Holland Scholarship at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, as an endowment for History majors. An endowment at Abilene Christian University, supporting music education, was also established by Scotty and his wife, Jacque Nell.

Most recently, Scotty’s support of the University of Texas, his alma mater, cumulated in the construction of the Holland Family Student Center, located at the Jackson School of Geosciences, where he was a major contributor.

He served on the boards of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Geology Foundation of the University of Texas, Austin, and the Geology Foundation of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

Scotty was a devoted father, grandfather and great grandfather to his children, who always came first in his life.

Scotty was preceded in death by his parents and four siblings. He is survived by his sister Mae Rue Hazard of Arlington, Texas; his loving wife of sixty-one years, Jacque Nell; sons, David Scott Holland and wife Dashika of San Antonio, Texas, Terrence Hunter Holland and wife Nita of Midland, Texas; and Scotty’s pride and joy, grandchildren Sara Michele Holland, Katie Dyan Holland, both of Ft. Worth, Texas, and Travis Jared Holland and wife Krystal Cathleen; and great-grandchildren, Lyla Grace and Cayson Scott Holland of San Antonio, Texas.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock this afternoon until eight o’clock this evening, Monday, the 7th of January, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A funeral service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Tuesday, the 8th of January, at Memorial Drive Church of Christ, 900 Echo Lane in Houston, where David Duncan and Dwain Evans are to officiate.

The interment is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Friday, the 11th of January, at Elmwood Memorial Park, 5750 Hwy 277 South, in Abilene, Texas.

In lieu of customary remembrances, and for those desiring, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contribution’s in Mr. Holland’s name be directed to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, 5555 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX, 77030; or the charity of one’s choice.

“We love you Scotty, Dad, DadDad.”