Margaret Alice Wright Holcomb, a 26-year resident of San Antonio, transitioned from this earth to Heaven on Saturday, October 17, 2020. She was 94 years old and is survived by two sons, Robert Holcomb Jr and his wife, Kay, of San Antonio and Tom Holcomb of Dallas. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, and a third son, David. She was deeply loved by her 8 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Born in 1926 in Muskogee, OK, her family moved to Waco while in her teens. Margaret experienced the challenges of the death of her father at a young age and growing up during the polio epidemic, the Great Depression and World War II. She graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor’s degree in Education.
While working in Baylor’s Registrar’s office, her best friend Mary introduced Margaret to her brother, a young soldier returning from his service during WWII in North Africa and Italy. Margaret was taken aback by this handsome young man and they later married in 1947.
Margaret was a dedicated, loving, and innovative educator. Her career followed her wherever her husband’s job as a hospital administrator took him. Her 25-year teaching career included elementary school positions in Mt. Calm, Ft. Worth, Odessa, and Richardson, TX.
In 1972, Margaret decided to return to school to pursue a Master’s Degree at the University of Texas – Permian Basin. She was awarded the degree in 1976. She later became Reading Supervisor for the Ector County ISD in Odessa.
As an educator, she was a member of TSTA, TCTA, ECTA, International Reading Association, and Alpha Delta Kappa where she was President and District Chairman.
Margaret retired from public education in 1993 and soon accepted the position of Preschool Coordinator for the day school at her church, First Baptist Church, Odessa.
She officially retired from her teaching career in 1998 and moved to San Antonio where she bought the house adjacent to her lifelong best friend and sister-in-law, Mary, and her husband.
She spent the last years of her life at Emerald Oaks Retirement Resort, living next door to Mary, where she met so many wonderful people and played lots of Hand and Foot and 42.
Margaret was very faithful to her Lord Jesus Christ after she made a decision to follow Him at the tender age of nine. She taught children’s Sunday School at First Baptist, Odessa for over 30 years. After her move to San Antonio, she was a dedicated member of First Baptist Church, Universal City. She was instrumental in setting up a 24-hour prayer room. She served as chairman of the Committee on Committees and church clerk for several years. She was the pianist for the Senior adult choir for years and played in the handbell choir. Margaret loved music and her grandchildren will always remember her teaching them songs about Jesus from an early age.
If Margaret could tell us anything today, it would be to commit our hearts to Jesus and follow Him faithfully throughout life. This was the guiding light in her life.
A visitation for Margaret will be held Wednesday, October 21, 2020 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Colonial Funeral Home, 625 Kitty Hawk Road, Universal City, Texas. A funeral service will occur Thursday, October 22, 2020 at 11:00 AM at First Baptist Church, 1401 Pat Booker Road, Universal City, Texas. An interment will occur Friday, October 23, 2020 at 1:30 PM at Rosemound Cemetery, 3201 South 12th Street, Waco, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Lamb Offering Fund for Missions at First Baptist Church, Universal City, TX.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.colonialuniversal.com for the Holcomb family.
FAMILY
Preceded in death by parents Lionel and Odile Palardy, Claire, wife of 56 years, sister Carmel Haggerty, three brothers, Emile, Francis and Adrian Palardy and granddaughter Kristen Johnson. He will be remembered by his sisters; Theresa LaFleur and Suzanne Cote, daughters Catherine Anderson, Jane Rhoades and Nancy Palardy and grandchildren, Hunter Rhoades, Zachary Rhoades and Kelsey Follensbee.
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