Houston- Jean Lancaster Holliday, 96, passed away March 29, 2020 at home surrounded by her family.
She was born June 9, 1923 to Dewey and Clytee (Murphree) Lancaster and was a lifelong
resident of Chickasaw County. She attended school in Van Vleet and graduated high school in
Okolona. In 1942, she married James William (Billy) Holliday and became a wartime bride.
After the war, Jean and Billie settled into their life in Van Vleet and Jean became a devoted wife
and mother. Jean’s loves were her family, church, community, friends, her flowers (especially
her roses) and later in life…her cell phone that allowed her to take copious amounts of photos of
her roses and to text and share those photos with family and friends. She enjoyed her role as a
homemaker and loved participating in the local and state Homemaker’s Club. She was a
member of the Van Vleet Methodist Church. Her friends and family will remember her for her
youthful love of life, kind compassionate heart, quiet strength and determination, style and
grace, love of a new craft project and her “green thumb”. She will be forever missed and is
always in our hearts.
Jean is survived by her daughters, Jeannie Parks of Houston, Gail (Tommy) Young of Verona,
and Lisa (Tommy Baugh) Holliday of Houston, TX; her son, Mike (Linda) Holliday of Tupelo;
her sisters, Maxine Allen of Olive Branch and Mattie Jean Foster of New Albany; seven
grandchildren, Hope (Larry) Stantz, Heather Boyer, Jason Parks, Tracy (Danny) Miller, Breck
Young, Tony (Kelly) Holliday and Courtney (Perry) Morgan; twelve great grandchildren, Lauren
(Vance) Gann, Leslie Stantz, Marley Stantz, Chapman Boyer, Hayden Boyer, Kennedy Boyer,
Ryder Parks, Isaac Parks, Jack Miller, Kate Miller, Connor Holliday, Addison Holliday, Grace
Morgan and Emily Morgan; and a great great grandchild, Graisyn Boyer.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Billy Holliday, an infant son and her son-
in-law Wayne Parks.
A private graveside service will be held for the immediate family at Asbury Cemetery in Van
Vleet under the direction of Houston Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later
date.
Memorials may be made to Asbury Cemetery Fund, P. O. Box 106, Van Vleet, MS 38877.
Online condolences may be left on the Tribute Wall at www.houstonfuneralhomems.com
The family would like to express their deep appreciation for the care provided by her caregiver friends Mary Moore, and Ella Brownlee and the staff at Sanctuary Hospice.
The Lord…is good, for His steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136:1
