Gloria Herr McGovern passed away on June 5, 2020 at St. Catherine’s Village in Madison. She was born March 22, 1938 in Elmhurst, Illinois to Milton G Herr and Mildred Carsh Herr. She was graduated from Rogers (Arkansas) High School in 1955 and worked as a key punch operator for Sinclair Oil in Tulsa and the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
In 1966, Gloria married Ferdinand F. Holland Jr. of New Orleans and moved to Tennessee and later settled in Bay St. Louis and then Jackson where they raised their family. After Ferd’s death in 2001, she reconnected with James McGovern, her high school sweetheart from Rogers High School, and they married in 2007 in Madison.
She will be fondly remembered for her attentive dedication to the nurturing of her beloved children. A talented home cook, gardener, seamstress, needle artist, and oil painter, she always had a project in process. Whether she was leading Girl Scout troops, decorating cakes for school bake sales, or sewing costumes for a sorority rush skit, she took pleasure and loving pride in being able to support and participate in the lives of her children. Gloria was a member of The Jackson Stitchery Guild and also enjoyed many years of membership in the Welcome Neighbor Club. She was a member of St. Matthew Methodist Church in Madison.
Gloria is survived by her husband James McGovern of Madison; children James McClaren Nelson, and his wife Margo, of Hot Springs; Teresa Holland Odom, and her husband Richard Odom, of Madison; Lisa Holland Hannah of Chattanooga; Linda Lee Holland of Orlando; grandchildren Nathaniel Ray Hannah, Nicholas Holland Hannah, and Madelynn Grace Hannah of Chattanooga; and her sister Joyce Herr Hale, and her husband Jay, of Fayetteville.
A private family service and burial will be held on June 8, 2020 at Parkway Funeral Home and Memorial Cemetery in Ridgeland. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) or to a charity of one’s choice.
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