Pauline Gregory Holloway

Pauline Gregory (Polly) Holloway, 74, of Vinton, Va., passed away suddenly on Tuesday, October 6, 2009, of natural causes. She is predeceased by her husband, Jim, who she loved and cherished for 43 years; and also by her parents, Otho and Gertrude Gregory. Surviving to enjoy her memory are her son, Jim Jr. and wife, Tammy, of Woodbridge, Va.; daughters, Sharon Hamre and husband, Scott, of Atlanta, Ga., Brenda Garrison, of Vinton, Va., and Marilyn Hoggatt and husband, Greg, of Pensacola Beach, Fla.; grandchildren, Erin and Nick Tudor, of Vinton, Va.; sister, Louise Davidson, of Rogersville, Tenn.; and brother, Bill Gregory and wife, Ruth, of Kingsport, Tenn.
Polly touched so many lives in a positive way and truly made a difference in the world. She spent her whole life in service to others. She had a deep compassion for people and always took an active interest when someone was ill or had a personal tragedy. She was always there. She sincerely cared about her family, her friends, her employees and their families. More than anything she was a loving and thoughtful wife, wonderful mother, grandmother, friend, and sister. She loved and cherished her family with all her heart.

Polly attended a one room school house in Tazewell, Va., graduated from High School, went to Virginia Polytechnic Institute where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in home economics, and received a master's degree in nutrition.
Polly was a professional and her leadership permeated every aspect of her life. She began her career as a Bedford County extension agent, then moved to a teaching position for mentally challenged children and finally was the first school food services supervisor for the Roanoke County School system and remained in her position for 34 years until her retirement in 2000. During her career she started a breakfast program for low income children, developed the first centralized school menu and was affectionately known as "the lunch lady."
She served on the Roanoke County Schools Federal Credit Union Board of Directors and Finance Committee for 32 years and was a member of the National School Food Services Association and the American School Food Services Association throughout her career. She volunteered countless hours with the Alzheimer's Association and most recently organized all the food donations for the Alzheimer's Memory Walk. She was very active in the Daughters of the American Revolution, William F. Graves Chapter and the United Daughters of the Confederacy where she served as President for both. Polly was an active member of the Retired Teachers Association where she served most recently as District P Chairman. She was active in the Eastern Star of Vinton recently serving as Secretary, Bird Club, Lions Club and Peacock-Harper Culinary Friends at VPI. She was inducted into the old guard of Virginia Tech during her 50th class reunion. For 53 years Polly thoroughly enjoyed attending yearly gatherings of her VPI classmates at her dear friend's farm in Mt. Rush, Va.

Polly loved her church family, Thrasher Memorial United Methodist Church, the Claudine Pedigo Sunday School Class, and Circle One. She also frequently volunteered her time to serve the homeless at a local shelter. She enjoyed the fellowship of the United Methodist Women's Group and the Roanoke Women's Connection.
Polly was as active a person as any one person can be-traveling the globe to see new places, experiencing new things, never went anywhere she didn't love, and always came home with new friends. Her travels took her to Europe many times, Africa, China, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and countless trips across the beautiful United States. She loved her many cruises with her family and friends. She also had a passion for the arts and actively supported local theater groups.

She will be sorely missed by her family, her friends, and all of the lives she touched.
In lieu of flowers, the Holloway family would prefer that donations be made to the Roanoke Alzheimer's Association, 2728 Colonial Ave., Suite 2, Roanoke, Va. 24015; Pedigo Sunday School Class, 707 E. Washington Avenue, Vinton, Va. 24179; or the Peacock-Harper Culinary History Collection at Virginia Tech, Director of Development University Libraries, Newman Library, Blacksburg, Va. 24061.
Funeral services will be held 1 p.m. on Friday, October 9, 2009, at Thrasher Memorial United Methodist Church with the Reverend Lynne Alley-Grant officiating. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Roanoke, Va. Visitation will be held at the Oakey's Vinton Chapel on Thursday, October 8, 2009, from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Friday, October 9, 2009, from 10 a.m. to noon at Thrasher Memorial United Methodist Church. A reception celebrating Polly's life will be held immediately after graveside services in the Jones Hall of Thrasher Memorial United Methodist Church. Arrangements by Oakey's Vinton Chapel, 540-982-2221.



This obituary was originally published in the Roanoke Times.