Flora Marie Holt

Flora Marie Holt peacefully passed away in the early morning of December 8, 2017 surrounded by her devoted family. She was born in the Sedalia Community of Hancock County, TN, the 4th of eight children born to Topsy and Robert Buell. She was a 10th grade graduate of Mulberry Gap School and later in life earned her GED certificate, with recognition as the 1999 learner of the year in the state of Tennessee. Flora worked dutifully on her parents’ farm until the outbreak of hostilities leading to World War Two. Like millions of patriotic Americans, she answered the call to service and became a team member at the Oak Ridge Laboratories, although, as she insisted her entire life, her duties at Oak Ridge were top secret and cannot be divulged to the public.

At the conclusion of the war, Flora met and married a soldier recently returned from the European theatre, Wayne Holt, from the Rebel Hollow branch of the Mulberry community. Again, they were part of a seismic shift in demographics as they joined millions of returning war veterans looking for work in post-war America. Flora and Wayne packed their belongings in a 1949 Ford and travelled north in search of factory jobs, which they found in the booming metropolis of Gary, Indiana, also known as steel city. Opportunities were plentiful in Gary, and Flora was pleased to have her sister Nancy (Buell) Hightower and her sister-in-law, Osha (Walker) Holt relocate to Gary, where the three families from the Mulberry community formed close bonds that have endured to this day.

Having worked and saved for a mountain farm of their own, Flora and Wayne, in the year 1967, returned to their beloved mountains of east Tennessee, where they tilled the land and eked out a modest living, as their families before them had done. Flora was a tireless farm wife, tending a vegetable garden, helping harvest tobacco, and also tending cattle. In her last summers, she enjoyed walking the Sulphur Hollow Road in front of her home, using a tobacco stick for a cane as she admired the natural beauty of Hancock County.

Flora was a member of Little Mulberry Baptist Church, where she was baptized at a young age. She was a loving mother and friend to her children, and loved doting on her grandchildren. We pause to say goodbye to a great American who lived a life that defined the meaning of The Greatest Generation. Thank you, Flora, for your service to your country. She was preceded in death by her parents, Topsy and Robert Buell; her husband Wayne Holt; sister, Maxie Taylor; brothers, Lebert, Johnny and Clarence Buell; brother-n-law, Raleigh Holt and his wife Osha Holt and sister-in-law, Juanita Ramsey.

She is survived by her Daughter: Linda Taylor

Daughter: Debra (Joe) McDaniel

Son: Fred Holt

Grandchildren: John (Melissa) McDaniel; Jodi (Alex) Geary; Hannah (Adam) Carroll; Zach (Katie) Holt

And seven great grandchildren.

The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 P.M. Saturday December 9, 2017 at Coffey Funeral Home. Funeral service 2:0 P.M Sunday December 10, 2017 at Little Mulberry Baptist Church. Burial in the Taylor-Holt Cemetery.

Minister: Rev. Tommy Louthan

Singers: Barb and Talmadge Gibson

Pallbearers: John McDaniel, Alex Geary, Dave Greer, Dennis Ramsey, JR., David Jones, Gatlin Brandon, Troy Hightower.

Coffey Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.