Bob was born in Centralia, Missouri in 1928 and was raised in nearby Columbia. In 1942 his family moved to Kansas City, the community he would grow to love and celebrate in his artwork. Bob attended Westport High School, where his interest in art began and thrived under the tutelage of teacher Shelton Wilhite. While attending high school, Bob received on-the-job training in the commercial art department at Western Auto.
Bob moved on to become an advertising agency art director for Carter Advertising. He received many Art Director’s Club awards for both print and television advertising throughout his career. He also served as president of the Kansas City Art Director’s Club. Bob was later a partner at Avery Reel Holloway McDonald advertising agency. When his agency career was complete, he moved on to create the Bob Holloway Studio and Gallery to both continue as a freelance art director and create fine art. For many years the studio and gallery was a fixture in Old Westport inside a green caboose.
His true love was creating fine art in a variety of media, most notably pen ink and oil painting. Bob started displaying his art at art fairs in the early 1950s and for 26 Years he exhibited art at the Country Club Plaza Art Fair. In 1979, in an effort to promote local Kansas City artists, Bob became a founding member of Art Westport. In 1988 he committed to exhibiting his work at Art Fairs and Art Festivals full-time across the country. He would go on to exhibit his art in over 40 art fairs each year from Minnesota to Texas, and from Arizona to Massachusetts.
Today his art hangs in locations not only in the United States but, around the world. Bob’s art is owned by two former presidents and his “Reunion at the Nelson” hangs in offices of the Nelson Gallery. Bob’s “Kansas City Connection” was turned into a three-story mural across from the Kansas City Library. Bob’s most recognizable painting of the plaza lights was adapted by Topsy’s Popcorn and has been its most popular holiday gift can for more than 50 years.
In his later years, Bob participated in a few art festivals each year, but switched his focus to teaching students at several live drawing classes across Kansas City.
Bob was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Mary Louisa Mullen Holloway, and is his survived by his three children, Ginny (Phil) Ewald, Holly (David) Carter and John Chadwick (Amy) Holloway, grandchildren Adam, Tiffany, Joshuah, Allison, Azalaya, Josiah, Charlie and Gretchen, and great grandchildren, Lawana, Conner, Logan, William, Levi and Jerimyah .
Visitation will be held at Beloved Community of First Baptist, 100 Red Bridge Road, Kansas City, MO 64114, on September 26, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, followed by the Funeral Service at the same location from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. Committal will follow at Mount Moriah Cemetery South, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO 64131, on September 26, 2026 at 12:30 pm. A Reception will be held back at the Church beginning at 1:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you support a local artist.
