Fern Elizabeth Martin Holder

Mrs. Fern Elizabeth Martin Holder, 90, of Mount Airy, passed away Wednesday afternoon, September 9, 2015, at her home. Mrs. Holder was born March 23, 1925, in Surry County, one of three children born to the late Claude Swanson and Nealy Wiley Atkins Martin. Fern graduated from Beulah High School in 1943. She was educated as a teacher at Appalachian State Teachers’ College. She taught 4th grade at Beulah School for a while under Glenn Robertson, principal. She married June 30, 1946, to Arnold McDaniel “Mac” Holder at Haymore Memorial Baptist Church in Mount Airy. They moved to Richmond, VA, where they made their home for ten years and owned and operated a grocery store and service station. Mac died unexpectedly September 8, 1957. After selling the business, Fern and her three children moved back to Surry County and lived with her parents at Skull Camp Dairy Farm. She worked as a substitute teacher and listed taxes for the Surry County Tax Department for several years. In addition, she volunteered as a 4-H Club leader. As a strong Democrat, Fern was a member of the Democratic Women’s Club, Stewarts Creek #1 Precinct Chairman for 8 years, served on the Surry County Executive Committee for 2 years, and was a member of Senior Democrats. She was appointed by county commissioners to serve on the Surry Nursing Domiciliary Homes Community Advisory Committee and on the Surry County Coalition for Aging and Family Life Council. She was an active member of the Beulah Extension and Community Association for 50 years and held the office of treasurer for many years. Fern was of the Primitive Baptist faith. She was baptized while with Laurel Springs Primitive Baptist Church and she especially enjoyed attending Flower Gap Primitive Baptist Church, as well as many others. Above all, she was faithful to her Lord. She is survived by a daughter/caregiver and son-in-law, Dana H. and Randy Collins of Mount Airy; a son and two daughters-in-law, Douglas Michael and Peggy Golding Holder of New Bern and Brenda Johnson Holder of Mount Airy; five grandchildren, Lisa Johnson and her husband, Michael, Amanda Holder, Jessica Holder, Dustin Collins and his wife, Kayla, and Amy Angel and her husband, Tim; five great-grandchildren, Dylan Johnson, Samantha Childress, Hailey Childress, Josh Holder, and Liam Collins; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Ned Herman and Ivylyn Martin of Mount Airy and Wiley Clarence and Charlotte Martin of Boone; and five special nieces, Gail Shelton, Joy Richardson, Daphne Speer, Angela Petrey, and Andrea McDonough. Mrs. Holder was preceded in death by her husband, Arnold McDaniel “Mac” Holder; a son, McDaniel “Danny” Holder; and her parents, Claude Swanson and Nealy Wiley Atkins Martin. The funeral service will be held Saturday, September 12, 2015, at 2:00 PM at Moody Funeral Home Chapel in Mount Airy, with Elder Carlton Brown officiating. Burial will follow at Skyline Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends Friday from 5:00 until 7:00 PM at the funeral home. The family wishes to express their gratitude for the love and compassion shown by the staff at Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the cemetery fund at Laurel Springs Primitive Baptist Church, c/o Paul Flippen, 211 Richland Trail, Mount Airy, NC 27030; or the American Cancer Society, 4-A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407-2145.