Saltillo- Dr. Charles Edwyn Holland, 98, a life-long Presbyterian minister, passed away on April 04, 2025 at the Baptist Memorial Hospital, Oxford, MS. He was born March 12, 1927 at Alpine, MS to Lucius Byrd and Lela Branyan Holland and was raised and loved by his parents and by their next-door neighbors, Newton and Dessie Branyan Williams. He attended and graduated from Branyan Elementary School and Cedar Hill High School, class of 1945. He was among the last eighteen year olds to be drafted in World War II.
Following Military service where he served in the Army, he attended and graduated from Clark Memorial College, Bethel University, Cumberland Presbyterian Theological Seminary and earned a doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary. He did an internship in clinical pastoral education at Walter Reed Military Hospital and is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College.
Ordained into the ministry by Mississippi Valley Presbytery, he served as pastor of congregations in Covington, TN, Eutaw, AL, Long Beach, MS and Monroe, LA. Commissioned into the U.S. Army Reserve, he served as chaplain in Army Reserve and national Guard Units for over 20 years, retiring in the grade of lieutenant colonel.
In retirement Dr. Holland returned to his Alpine home and served as stated supply pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Saltillo, of his home church, Bethany Presbyterian Church at Brice’s Crossroads and of New Prospect Presbyterian Church in Tippah County, He was honored with the title Pastor Emeritus by the Long Beach Presbyterian Church, which he served twice, and by New Prospect Presbyterian Church. A Rotarian for many years, he was a member of St. Andrew Presbytery, (PCUSA) and of the William Gray Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution.
Growing up on a farm, Dr. Holland was a passionate lover of animals. In retirement he bred and raised Arabian horses on their ranch near Ripley. He and his family nurtured many abandoned animals through the years.
Dr. Holland is survived by his beloved wife, Betty Guyton Holland, whom he married in 1953. Both he and Mrs. Holland earned music degrees and mentored many music students through their ministry.
In addition to Mrs. Holland, he is survived by three sons and two daughters: Charles Edwyn Holland, JR. (Carla) of Saltillo, Dr. Timothy Lynn Holland (Sunshi) of Spartanburg, SC, Katrine “Tina” (Dave) Caporossi of Shreveport, LA, Robert Jerome Holland (Janie) of Ripley, and Elisabeth Brownlee Faust (Frank) of Gulfport.
He is survived by four grandchildren; Dr. Charles Edwyn Holland the 3rd (Paige) of Pontotoc, Peyton Brownlee Vinson of Shreveport, Christian Blair Holland (Lauren) of Nashville, Joseph Cole Holland (Karly) of Mouth of Wilson, VA and by five great-grandchildren; Noah and Zoe Holland of Pontotoc, Nathan Branyan and Evann Elisabeth Gibson of Shreveport and Genevieve Holland of Mouth of Wilson, VA.
Dr. Holland was preceded in death by his parents, by the Williams, by his only sibling, Charlene Davis, by two granddaughters, Courtney Holland Vinson and Sara Christina Holland Diem, by the family’s adopted grandmother, Mrs. Otis Brownlee and by a favorite sister-in-law, Cloyce Guyton.
Services will be held on Thursday, April 10, 2025 in the Ripley Presbyterian Church @ 2:00 p. m. with Rev. James McQuiston of Charlotte, NC and Dr. Jody Hill officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in the Bethany Presbyterian Church Cemetery at Brice’s Crossroads with Dr. Jody Hill officiating. Waters Funeral Home in Baldwyn is in charge of the arrangements.
Pallbearers will be Dr. Holland’s sons and grandsons. Honorary pallbearers will be Rev. Bill Connelly, Elders Al Stroupe, Shirley Fryar and Peggy Robinson.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family @www.watersfuneralservice.com
