Rachel Elizabeth Holland

Rachel Elizabeth Holland, 97, of Lufkin, was born September 4, 1913 in Cherokee County, Texas, the daughter of the late Mittie (Pierce) and Homer Tyra. She passed away Monday, November 29, 2010 in a local hospital.

Mrs. Holland was a resident of Lufkin since 1942. She was retired from Beall's Department Store following 35 years of employment. She then retired from Chick-Fil-A following 14 years of employment. Mrs. Holland was a member of First Church of the Nazarene for more than 50 years and a member of Gleaners Sunday School Class.

Survivors include daughter-in-law, Dorothy Holland of Houston; granddaughters and their husbands, Melody and Dough Montgomery and Terre and Dennis Carrel, all of Houston; nephews and their wives, Wayne and Diana Jones and Eddie and Nancy Tyra, all of Tyler; nieces, Patsy Oldham and husband Neil of Tyler, Glenda Davis of Gilmer, Jean Hudgins of Tyler and Judy Madigan and husband Mike of Tyler; sister-in-law, Vivian Tyra; and special friends, Steven Hannah of Lufkin and Susie Powell of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Mrs. Holland was preceded in death by her husband, J. Q. Holland; sister, Pauline Jones; brother-in-law, Robert Jones; brother, Ellis Tyra; and stepsons, Gene Holland and Donald Holland.

Expressions of sympathy in Mrs. Holland's memory may be made to First Church of the Nazarene, 1604 S. Medford Drive, Lufkin, Texas 75901.

Pallbearers will be Neil Oldham, Garrett Jones, George Walker, Eddie Tyra and Shane Jones.

Services for Mrs. Holland will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, December 2, 2010 in the Gipson Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend David Craig and Pastor Franklin Spruiell officiating. Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories Memorial Park.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday evening at Gipson Funeral Home.

Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com

Gipson Funeral Home; directors