Bobby L. Holly

Bobby Lee Holly, age 72, passed away February 13, 2021 after a hard-fought battle with kidney failure, multiple strokes and falls. Bobby was born in Hallettsville, Texas on November 20, 1948 to the late Alfonse and Viola Holly.

Bobby’s early childhood years were spent with his grandparents working the farm, picking cotton and hauling hay. In his free time, he could often be found hanging around town or on the square. Bobby’s teenage years were spent enjoying many hunting and fishing adventures, a majority of those with his friend Harvey Woytek. Many memories were made on their numerous escapades. On one occurrence, an old car hood was made into a boat so that he could set trotlines out. Bobby was drafted into the US Army and served his country honorably in the Vietnam War from July 1969 to July 1970. After being honorably discharged, Bobby moved back to Hallettsville, Texas. One of the first purchases he made after returning home was a 1969 burnt orange Plymouth Road Runner. He would often drag race his beloved hot rod at different locations in Lavaca county, and according to him, he and his childhood friend Harvey Woytek were the fastest around. Not long after his return from Vietnam, Bobby met Dolores Grahmann. They married on October 30, 1971 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hallettsville. After marriage, Bobby and Dolores lived in several places including Houston, La Porte and then back to Hallettsville. Bobby began working for Brown and Root at the Union Carbide Seadrift plant. Bobby and Dolores decided to move to Victoria, Texas in 1978 where they settled. Bobby and Dolores raised three sons of which he was very proud. In Bobby’s early parenting years, he coached his son’s little league baseball teams, and spent many hours teaching them to hunt, fish and respect the outdoors. He shared and passed on his passion and love of the outdoors to his sons and eventually his grandchildren. He loved his family and 6 grandchildren more than anything else. He seldom missed a school or sporting event and always relished the opportunity to watch his sons play sports, especially baseball. Bobby, like his dad, was an Astros baseball fan and spent lots of Sunday afternoons watching them play. Bobby worked as a painter/sandblaster for Brown and Root for 25 plus years and later retired from Victoria County road and bridge crew in precinct 3. He also worked for Kellogg Propane making deliveries in his spare time. Through his military service and Dolores’ job, Bobby was able to travel and experience many countries overseas, including Vietnam and Sweden. Bobby’s grandchildren were a huge part of his life and he spent as much quality time with them as he could. He and Dolores would be the first ones through the gate at baseball or football games and the first ones in the parking lot waiting to go into dance recitals or swim meets. He enjoyed being the first one waiting in the driveway to go eat breakfast, the first one in the driveway to pick them up to go for ice cream for breakfast or a hamburger for snack, and the first one waiting in the driveway to pick them up to go eat dinner in town. (…And that was all in the same day.) Whether it was traveling to the Texas State Little League Tournament in Tyler, Texas, or spending time with them at his ranch in Langtry, Texas or most recently, holding his youngest grandson in his arms, he loved being part of their lives no matter what it was. Bobby also raised cattle and would often take his grandkids with him to check on them, although it was mostly an excuse to take them to Dairy Queen afterwards for a treat. Bobby was an avid outdoorsman. He loved to hunt and run trot lines and his adventures allowed him to travel many places across Texas in pursuit of his favorite past time. He made lots of memories on his numerous deer leases, most of which were either in the hill country or west Texas. He spent as much time as he could at his ranch in Langtry, TX, and loved sitting on the porch watching his kids and grandkids coming in from their evening hunts while frying chicken or making a big pot of stew. Bobby was a long-time member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, American Legion and SPJST.

He is survived by his wife Dolores Holly; son Doyle Holly and wife Kristy; son Jeff Holly and wife Amy; son Scott Holly and wife Ellie; and grandchildren Dawson and Karson Holly, Brady, Brooke and Blair Holly and Rollins Holly; sisters Shirley Kalmus and Diane Hadley. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.

In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by his infant son Bruce Holly and infant daughter Collette Holly.

Visitation will be Monday, February 22, 2021 from 5p-7p at Rosewood Funeral Chapel, followed by a Rosary immediately after.

Funeral Services will be Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 10a at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hallettsville, Texas. (Social distancing and masks are required) Full military honors will follow immediately at Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Pallbearers are grandsons Dawson Holly, Karson Holly, Brady Holly, nephew Jason Kalmus, niece Holly Hearn, family friend Kevin Roehl and brother-in-law Melvin Grahmann. Honorary pallbearers are grandson Rollins Holly, Brother-in-law Larry Kominczak and child hood friend Harvey Woytek.

Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.