Margaret Holliday Coltrain

Margaret McLean Holliday was born in the Poplar Chapel Community of Jamesville, NC on November 23, 1919, to Nona McLean and Thomas W. Holliday. One of six children, she was the oldest of the three daughters. She attended the Jamesville School where she was valedictorian of her class in 1936. She attended East Carolina Teachers College the following year. On December 28, 1937, she married Ralph B. Holliday of the Macedonia community south of Williamston and made her home in this area until this year. Her husband predeceased her on June 20, 1965.

On November 8, 1969, she married Nathaniel L. Coltrain who predeceased her on April 1, 1995. In addition to being predeceased by her parents and both husbands, she was predeceased by four of her siblings, Thomas Jr., Frank, Leon, and Elizabeth, and her step¬grandson, Kevin Coltrain.

She was a farmer's wife and homemaker most of her life. She ran her own gardening business for over thirty years, Margaret's Daylilies on Hwy 17 South, while also working as a seasonal peanut grader during much of this time. She taught Sunday School at Macedonia Christian Church for 50 years and kept her membership there since her first marriage, some 75 years prior.

She loved working in the yard and that passion resulted in year-round blooms, particularly camellias, azaleas, rhododendron, daylilies and irises. She also enjoyed crafts, handwork, and quilting. Well into her eighties she remained very active, often serving as the taxi to take her "elderly" friends to various appointments.

In March 2012, Margaret moved to the Oaks at Mayview in Raleigh where she resided until passing away on Wednesday, December 26, 2012. She is survived by her son, Ralph, Jr (Betsy) of Williamston and her daughter, Jan (Ronnie) Cashwell of Raleigh; two grandsons, Ralph Holliday III of Grimesland and Keith Holliday of Williamston; two great-granddaughters, Ashley and Brandi Holliday of Williamston; her sister Barbara (John) Hagen of Jamesville; two sisters-in-law, Fannie L Holliday of Goode, Va and Gray C Modlin of Plymouth, NC; two step-children, Jimmy (Joyce) Coltrain of Williamston and Linda West; seven +step-grandchildren, Chris Coltrain, Kristie McGrady, Billy West, Jeff Gibbs, Susan D'Antonio, Shannon Cashwell, and Ron Cashwell. One very special friend who was very much a part of her family is Reba Grimes of Williamston, with whom Mom stayed for 13 years.

Both the visitation and the memorial service will be held at Biggs Funeral Home, 302 W Main Street, Williamston, NC. The visitation will be on Friday, December 28, 2012 from 7:00-8:30 pm. The memorial service will be Saturday, December 29, 2012, at 11:00 am followed by the interment at Martin Memorial Gardens on Hwy 64 W of Williamston. The family will receive visitors at the family home on Hwy 17 South at other times.

With a heart full of gratitude, the family especially thanks Station Four nurses and aides and other staff at the Oaks of Mayview for their excellent care and concern during Mom's illness. Additionally, we extend a heartfelt thank you to Hospice of Wake County for your support and encouragement during this time.

Mom was a most patient person and a wonderful, loving mother. She has entered heaven proclaiming, "1 have fought a good fight, 1 have finished my course, 1 have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only but to all them also that love His appearing." 2 Timothy 4:7-8.