Freddy G. Holland

Freddy Holland was born May 12, 1950 in Paragould, Arkansas to Herman and Patsy Holland. He grew up in Maynard, Arkansas where he graduated from Maynard High School in 1968. After graduating from high school he farmed with his dad and brothers and was employed at Magee Picture Framing Company in Pocahontas, Arkansas while attending Southern Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. January 17, 1969 he married his high school sweetheart Wanda Wesson and to their union 3 children were born – Mark, Chad and Kristy. He served in the Marine Corp state side as a Military Policeman at Camp Pendleton in California. Returning from the military he was employed by the following: Darling in Paragould, Arkansas, Triple E Polecats in Harrison, Arkansas, and Harry Sawyer Toyota in Springdale, Arkansas as a parts manager. In 1978 he began what would turn out to be his life long career – working for the Phone Company in Buffalo, MO. He began as an employee of Contel and continued on there though the company changed names many times; finally retiring from Century Link after 35 years of dedicated employment. He was known as Fred the Phone Man. He and his wife owned and operated a popular snow cone stand called Sno Biz for several years in the Lake Pomme de Terre area. He also attended auctioneer school in Kansas City and tried his hand as an auctioneer for a short time. He umpired and refereed baseball and basketball games, coached Little League teams and played softball. He served on the Skyline School Board. One of his favorite things was the local Farmers’ Markets and attending the Vegetable Auction at Lead Mine. He enjoyed coon hunting, bird hunting, and time at the lake camping, fishing, skiing and tubing with his children and grandchildren. At Christmas time he was the Cajun Cook boiling shrimp, mud bugs, potatoes and corn for a Christmas feast. He was saved as a teenager at the Witt’s Chapel Baptist Church in Maynard, Arkansas where Wanda’s dad was the pastor. He was a member of Hermitage First Baptist Church and he loved his church, always making his way around before service to visit with people. He and Wanda attended many of the Mission Building Trips together. Fred loved little kids at church and gave nick names to many of them. He was known by children as the Candy Man. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Wanda Holland of Urbana, Missouri; Son, Mark and Laila Holland and their daughter Audrey of Sterlington, Louisiana; Son, Chad and Amber Holland and their daughters Haley and Hannah of Springfield, Missouri; Daughter, Kristy Owens and Curtis and their children Rachel McCormick (and husband Austin), Noah and Ruth of Winnsboro, Louisiana; His mother, Patsy Holland of Maynard, Arkansas; and two brothers Ted Holland and wife Susie of Maynard, Arkansas and Bob Holland of Reyno, Arkansas. He is preceded in death by his father, Herman Holland. Freddy Holland was a loving husband, father and grandfather. His unique personality and sense of humor will be greatly missed and he leaves behind a huge void in the hearts of his family, friends, church and community. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at the First Baptist Church in Hermitage with Bro. Curtis Owens and Bro. Jeremy Hostetler officiating. Escorts will be Mark Holland, Chad Holland, Eddie Dickenson, Noah Owens, Austin McCormick, and Stan Bisher. Honorary escorts will be Teddy Holland, Bob Holland, the children of First Baptist Church, and any other kid Freddy ever picked on. Music will be provided by Troy Metscher and the Hermitage First Baptist Church Praise Team. Interment will be in Bower Chapel Cemetery under the direction of the Cantlon Otterness Funeral Home of Urbana. Visitation will be from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Monday at the Church. Memorials may be made to the Central Care Cancer Center in Bolivar, MO, and left with the Funeral Home.

Freddy G. Holland

May 12, 1950 - August 18, 2017