Funeral service for Kathleen Gillis Holmes, of Brookhaven, will be 11 a.m., Wednesday, December 22, 2021, at Riverwood Family, with burial in Union Hall Baptist Church Cemetery. Visitation is from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, December 21, at Riverwood, and will resume at 10 a.m. Wednesday until the time of service.
Kathleen passed peacefully from her earthly home into heaven on December 18, 2021. She was born on July 17, 1926, in Sturgis, MS, to Chapman Gillis and Dorothy Jones Gillis. She was the third of eleven children born into her family. Although their lives, growing up in a rural setting in Oktibbeha County, proved to be economically challenging at times, there was never a lack of love, faith, and courage. She formed a lifelong bond of love and support with them that lasted her entire life. These same values became an intrinsic part of her character that she in turn passed on to her children and grandchildren.
She was a 1943 graduate of Sturgis High School where she was elected Valedictorian and was blessed to receive an academic scholarship that provided the necessary funding for her to attend Mississippi State University. After graduating with a B.S. degree in 1947, Kathleen soon learned what her passion for life would be, and that was teaching. Her career spanned over 40 years and included teaching positions at Johnston Station in Summit, MS, North Pike High School, Hammond, Louisiana, Brookhaven Academy, as well as two separate times at Enterprise Attendance Center in Lincoln County.
Upon retiring, Kathleen continued teaching in the Tylertown School System as a substitute teacher. She also enjoyed reading, playing bridge, traveling, and putting together crossword puzzles. She also enjoyed watching sports on TV, her favorite teams being the MSU Bulldogs and the Atlanta Braves.
Following a permanent move to Brookhaven in the mid 1990’s, Kathleen became an active member of Jackson Street United Methodist Church, where she made many close friends. She especially enjoyed being a part of the United Methodist Women’s Circle. She dearly loved her church family and the cards, visits, and prayers they provided on her behalf meant so much.
Second only to her love for her Lord and Savior, was the love she had for her two sons and their families. She always expressed thanks and appreciation to “her boys”, as she often referred to them when speaking to others, for the time and attention to her needs that they always provided.
She also loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren and opened her heart to them, providing anything to them that she felt they needed, especially her wisdom and advice.
In addition to her parents, Kathleen was preceded in death by her daughter-in-law, Denise Bessonette Holmes; granddaughter, Stacey Crane Burns; sisters, Margaret Jeffries (Johnnie), Irene Chandler (Edwin), Helen Stemmer (Joe); brothers, Gerald Gillis (Nancy), Jimmy Gillis; and sister-in-law, Sudie Gillis.
Those remaining to cherish her memory are two sons, Steven Holmes (Janice), and Mike Holmes (Denise, in spirit), both of Brookhaven; five grandchildren, Bradley Holmes (Misty), Lacey Holmes Laird (Justin), both of Brookhaven, Lindsey Holmes Porter (Jared), of Hurley, MS, and Steven Burns of AR. She is also survived by nine great grandchildren, Tate Holmes, Patrick and Piper Laird, of Brookhaven, Emory and Meritt Porter of Hurley, MS and Austin (Lyndsey), Alex, Alyssa, and Anna Burns of AR; sister, Sally McRorie (Jim) of Charlotte, NC; brothers, Algen Gillis (Christine), Alton Gillis (Betty), and Rodger Gillis (Erma Jean) all of Sturgis, MS; and Marion Gillis of Mathison, MS.
Also, special friends and neighbors, Ann and Columbus Goza and special friends and caregivers, Joyce Wright and Vickie Martin.
