Mary Ellen Holloway

Obituary for Mary Ellen Stafford Holloway

Mary Ellen Stafford Holloway, 84, died Saturday, April 21, 2018 at her home in Merigold, MS. She was born in Greenwood, MS, later moving with her family to Cleveland, MS. She was a graduate of Cleveland High School where she was a majorette in the band. She earned her Bachelor’s, Master’s, then her Educational Specialist Degree from Delta State University. She married Glenn W. Holloway in 1955 and resided in Indianola, MS until 2013 when they moved to Merigold, MS.

A life-long educator, she taught at: Indianola High School, Inverness High School, and Indianola Academy before becoming the accounting instructor at Mississippi Delta Junior College in 1970. She taught at MDCC until her retirement in 2003. At Mississippi Delta, she served as advisor of Phi Beta Lambda for 25 years, receiving the award for the PBL Outstanding Advisor in 1998. She served as Vice-President then President of the MDCC Faculty Association and as the Business Department Chair for 12 years.

She served as Regent and Treasurer of the David Holmes Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Vice-President and later President of the Indianola Civic League, and as organist of the Dorsett Drive Christian Church, Second Baptist Church, and First Presbyterian Church all in Indianola, MS.  She also served as the organist and choir director at the First Christian Church in Greenwood, MS.

She is preceded in death by her parents, John and Esther Stafford, a sister, Johnnie Ruth “Sis” Stafford Lanier, and, Glenn W. Holloway, Sr., her husband of 63 years.

She is survived by two sons, Glenn Holloway Jr. (Cymantha) of Cleveland, MS, John Stafford Holloway (Jessica ) of Maumelle, AR; five grandchildren, Glenn III (Mary Alice), Leslie Carroll (Dustin), Josh Reed all of Cleveland, John Stafford Holloway, Jr., and Greyson Holloway; a great granddaughter, Payton Carroll; one brother, James Wilson Stafford of Memphis, TN; nephews James W Stafford, Jr. (Sandra) of Memphis, TN, and Earl Lanier, Jr. (Mary Jane) of Richardson, TX; and nieces Lorry Lanier Blackwell (Lee) Forrest, MS, and Karen Stafford Cook (Gary) of Jackson, TN. In addition to these, she leaves behind a host of extended family members and friends.

Mary Ellen has donated her body to the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) Body Donation Program for anatomical study, research, and the advancement of medical sciences.

The family will receive friends Tuesday, April 24, 2018 from 10 – 11 am, at Calvary Baptist Church in Cleveland, MS. A Celebration of Life Service will follow at 11 am. Reverend Jim Woods and Reverend Larry Braswell will officiate the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials made to either the Delta State University Foundation Glenn and Mary Ellen Stafford Holloway Endowed Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 3141, Cleveland, MS, 38733, or to the Dorsett Drive Christian Church, P.O. Box 488, Indianola, MS 38751.

Cleveland Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. The on-line guest register may be signed at http://clevelandfuneralhome.net.