Mary E. Holecheck's Obituary
Mary Elizabeth Higgins Holecheck of Williamsburg, MD passed away on Sunday, March 13, 2011 at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, MD. She was 79 years old.
She was born April 25, 1931 in Sparta, NC, the daughter of the late William Quincy and Docia Brown Higgins.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harry Holecheck on January 21, 2008 after 50 years of marriage.
She was a graduate of Lowgap High School in Lowgap, NC Class of 1949, and received an Associate Degree in Accounting from Jones Business College in High Point, NC. She started working for E.I. DuPont in Seaford, DE in March of 1951, and transferred to the Chestnut Run Research Lab of E.I. DuPont in July of 1954 in Newark, DE. She married Harry F. Holecheck on Jan. 25, 1958. As a parent she was very involved in the P.T. A. and held every office, and was selected to attend several P.T.A. annual meetings in Baltimore, representing the North Dorchester area. She was a substitute teacher in Dorchester Co., and in July 1976 she was appointed by the Governor of Maryland to the School Board of Dorchester Co. She was the first woman elected as President of the School Board in July 1981, and was re-elected as President for the next six years. She was a faithful and dedicated Dorchester County School Board member for thirteen years. She was the Legislator Representative in Annapolis for the School Board for ten years. Mrs. Holecheck was a member of the Maryland School Board Association, where she served on several committees, and was elected to the Executive Board. She was a member of the National School Board Association, served on committees, and served as representative of the Maryland School Board Association. In serving the various school boards, her only concern was to do the best job possible for every student in the county. Mary often said if she had been successful in anything it was because God took such good care of her, and she had total trust in Him.
Mrs. Holecheck received the Distinguish Service Award from the North Dorchester Jaycees in 1986. She was a member of the former Faith Chapel in Hurlock, where she served as nursery Sunday school teacher for twenty years, was the church Treasurer for twenty-five years, and always strived to do the best she could for her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Hurlock.
Mary’s greatest love was for her family, home, farm and her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
She is survived by three children, Michael Holecheck of Federalsburg, Ruth Anne Edwards of Seaford, DE, and Charles Holecheck of Easton; four granddaughters, Lauren Edwards of Seaford, DE, Erika and Kayla Holecheck of Easton, and Maggie Holecheck of Cambridge,; she was one of 15 children, with two brothers and five sisters surviving: John Higgins of Delaware, Joe Higgins of Sparta, NC, Ruth Bryant, Lois Dixon, Ethel Smith, Evelyn King and Evon Hull, all of NC, was God-mother to 2 nieces, Lisa Tull and Pam Higgins, many special cousins, nieces and nephews. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Nancy Joines and Elsie Lowe, and five brothers, Paul, Thomas, Samuel, James and Herb Higgins.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 18, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Hurlock with Rev. Don Reynolds and Rev. Tim Merki officiating. Interment will follow at the Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery in Beulah, MD. Friends may call at the Framptom Funeral Home in Federalsburg on Thursday from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Serving as pallbearers will be Tony Higgins, Dennis Higgins, Mark Eskridge, Kevin Gillispie, Scott Love, Donnie Brown, and Bobby Powell. Honorary pallbearers will be Paul and Ruth Ann Faulkner, Donald and Margaret Powell, Tom and Jean Knodel, Joan Campbell, Bobby Joines, and Cole Collins.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the First Baptist Church, 301 Poplar St., Hurlock, MD 21643.
What’s your fondest memory of Mary E. ?
What’s a lesson you learned from Mary E. ?
Share a story where Mary E. 's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Mary E. you’ll never forget.
How did Mary E. make you smile?