James Holly

Posted: Monday, October 4, 2010 2:51 pm

The Messenger, October 4, 2010
James I. Holly, 96, of Martin died Oct. 2, 2010, at Volunteer Community Hospital in Martin. He was a former resident of Union City.
Services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, with the Revs. James Kinsey and Bruce McCaleb officiating. Burial will follow in Obion County Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Larry Gowler, Gerald Merritt, Chris Merritt, Gary Mansfield, Ronnie Bynum and Harry Lee Caudle.
Friends may call at the church from 10 a.m. until the hour of services Tuesday.
Murphy Funeral Home in Martin is in charge of arrangements.
He was born Aug. 30, 1914, in the Jordan (Ky.) community, son of the late James Hamilton and Sally (Hammonds) Holly. He was the widower of Patty Sue (Scott) Holly, to whom he was married for 57 years.
He was a U.S. Army and U.S. Navy veteran, having served as a flight instructor at the former Gill-Dove Airport in Martin during World War II. He also taught Navy students at the former University of Tennessee Junior College at Martin for 3 1/2 years. He opened his own city airport in Dyersburg and became a certified private and commercial flight examiner, in addition to teaching flying and working as a crop duster. He was an electrician and pilot for the former Lear-Siegler plant in Union City for 23 years and later became a flight instructor for Taylor Aviation in Union City.
He was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.
He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Linda Sue and Duane Merritt of Martin; two grandchildren and their spouses, Jason and Delmy Merritt and Mike and Vicky Merritt; four great-grandchildren, Hannah Merritt, Natalie Merritt, Darlen Merritt and Samantha Merritt; his great-great-grandson, Dolton Drake; his nephew, Jerry McBride; and three nieces, Anita Brannen, Lynn Davis and Lisa Schwanbeck.
He was also preceded in death by two sisters, Beatrice McBride and Lois Butler.