Mr. Richard Vann Holloman

Richard Vann "Dick" Holloman, 88, of Taylorsville, died peacefully February 2, 2021 at his home surrounded by his family. Born September 19, 1932 in Hertford County, NC, he was the son of Jesse Vann Holloman and Elizabeth "Bess" Cowand.

Richard ("Dad" and "Granddaddy Dick") was a man after God's own heart. His life was lived to the fullest, with hard work alongside thrilling adventures and travel, as well as multiple dynamic careers. But what he would say was most important is that he served his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and tried to point others to Him. He wanted to "finish strong, fighting the good fight of faith". All other accomplishments he would consider trifles compared to that.

He grew up in Ahoskie, NC during the World War 2 years, was an Eagle Scout, and remembers playing taps on his bugle for soldiers returning home after being lost in battle. He graduated from Duke University with a degree in economics, and served in the Air Force during the Korean War. He worked with multiple companies in marketing and sales; but his love was aviation. He worked for Piper Aircraft, and had both his private and commercial pilot's licenses. He flew Mr. Piper himself on business trips, piloted photo sessions in South America, and even had stories of being falsely arrested in Jamaica for "drug running" during his exciting aviation years. After leaving Piper Aircraft, he finally and happily relocated to his home state of NC to be closer to extended family, and worked with the Dale Carnegie organization, as well as the Chamber of Commerce in Hickory, among other positions. Long after retirement, he continued to work part-time as a security officer, a job he thoroughly enjoyed because of its opportunity to meet new people, listen to them and provide encouragements.

He was a devoted husband to his wife Joyce of 63 years, for whom he cared faithfully in her last illness before she passed in September 2016. He poured his heart into his 3 children (Denise, Vann and Lynn), instilling in them not only a faith in Christ, but also their love of travel, history and adventure. He was a very involved father, often taking them on business trips in his company Piper airplane which he himself piloted. He helped them see the sometimes yearly relocations all over the US during their growing years as exciting new adventures, opportunities to explore new places and make new friends. He taught them how to deal with adversity in trials, such as when our family home was decimated during the 1972 flood in central Pennsylvania, and when son Vann died very unexpectedly. When the children grew and left home, he traveled afar to see his children and grandchildren, from NC to Louisville to Minneapolis to Montana, even over to Tanzania and Kenya where his daughter and her family were missionaries. He poured himself into the lives of those grandchildren, arranged family gatherings and beach weeks and even recently a cruise, just so he could have as much time as possible with them. He enjoyed nothing more than family gatherings, either at his home on Lake Hickory, or over at what he called the "Bilhorn Estate", his daughter's home a couple miles away. After Joyce's passing in 2016, he traveled alone to the Amazon, to the upper Atlantic Seaboard, and just one year before his death, to 5 countries in Europe. He poured over the travel itineraries, the history/culture lectures, joyfully sharing it all with anyone who could listen. After a trip to Israel, he became a beloved friend of the tour operator Hela, welcoming her into his home. And most recently, he had the utter joy of interacting with his two new great-grandchildren Vann and Silas; and 3 nights before he died, received the joyful news of the pending arrival of yet a third great-grandchild.

When he was given the sobering news of his 'relentlessly aggressive' pulmonary disease within the last few months, he took it in stride. "If it must be so, it cannot be otherwise." Although he was not particularly looking forward to going home on oxygen, he said by God's grace he would adapt. "The last time I had to use oxygen I was flying at 24,000 ft and I was the pilot. Good idea to use oxygen." When he came home from the hospital (after blessing his doctors and nurses there with words of encouragement to them) it was to his beloved home overlooking Lake Hickory. He said, "I've had a wonderful life, and I'm ready to go to heaven and be with Jesus. I have no regrets, and my future is secure." In his final hours on earth, he tunelessly sang the Doxology, raised his arms heavenward and said, "Praise the Lord" multiple times before he drifted away, while grandchildren sang hymns and read Psalms to him. His entire life was a testimony to God's grace and love in his life.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by wife Joyce Oakley Holloman, his son, Richard Vann Holloman, Jr, and sister Ronney Holloman Steele.

Richard is survived by daughters Denise H. Bilhorn and husband Lorin of Bethlehem; and Stephanie Lynn Bloom, also of Bethlehem; grandchildren Maria Bilhorn Boggess and husband Jordan of Raleigh, Clement Bilhorn and wife Emily of Madison, WI, Richard L. Bilhorn and wife Whitney of Charlotte, NC, Seth Bloom and wife Diane of Louisville, KY, and Grace Bloom, currently of Barbados. He is also survived by younger brothers Joseph Holloman of Rocky Mount, NC and David Holloman of Raleigh, NC, and a younger sister Mary Margaret Daughtridge of Greensboro, NC.

A celebration of life will be held at 2:00pm on Sunday, February 7, 2021 in the Chapel of Drum Funeral Home in Hickory with Pastor Kurtis Massey officiating. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 prior to the service, at Drum Funeral Home.

in lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Hospice of Alexander County, 50 Lucy Echerd Lane, Taylorsville, NC 28681; or to Christian Cooperative Outreach, PO Box 3324, Hickory, NC 28603.

Condolences may be sent to the Holloman family at www.drumfh-hickory.com.

Drum Funeral Home in Hickory, NC, is honored to be serving the Holloman family.