Kitty Holloway

1946 - 2024

Kitty (Duryea) Holloway passed away Jan. 2, 2024 after a short battle with cancer.

Kitty was a caretaker for her parents, Rex and Mary Duryea, for the past decade of her life and enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren, especially those with four legs. 

Kitty was born in Dunning, Neb., in the home of her paternal grandmother Myrtle Duryea on Nov. 27, 1946, to Rex and Mary (Huffman) Duryea.

Rex worked for the Burlington Railroad after his service in WWII so Kitty moved all over from Billings, Mont. and Aurora, Neb., to Sheridan, Wyo. Kitty always had special memories of Huntley, Mont. and would tell stories of her time there as a little girl.

Kitty played the piano and was a lifelong lover of music, especially artists like Elvis, Hank Williams and the old school country artists.

She graduated from high school in Aurora in May of 1965. She attended the Nebraska School of Business in Lincoln where she graduated with a Secretary Degree.

While in high school, Kitty met Wilbur Holloway and they were married soon after graduation and before Wilbur was drafted into the US Army. While Wilbur was deployed in Korea, Kitty lived with Rex and Mary in Sheridan, Wyo., where she had her first-born child, Jon.

Soon after Wilbur returned to the states, this new family moved to Colorado Springs, Colo., and once Wilbur was discharged, they settled in Aurora, Neb. While in Aurora, they would have baby number two, Guy. Soon after the birth of Guy, this ever-increasing family moved to Broken Bow where Kitty was a caretaker for these two boys. It was in Broken Bow, while living on South F Street, that the third and final member of this family was born, Kim.

Soon after the birth of Kim, this family moved to Dunning where Wilbur and Kitty became self-employed with a small mechanical business. Kitty did all of the bookkeeping and Wilbur ran the business. This business would lead to the two of them purchasing the Mobile gas station. Eventually Kitty would take a job as the secretary at the high school where she would be known by all the students as being kindhearted and very nice. 

Kitty was always an animal lover. While in Dunning, she encouraged her children to join 4-H and show horses and allowed her kids to have horses of their own. Kitty had many special animals throughout her lifetime. Missy, her gray Poodle; Barney her Siamese cat; and later in life, Pongo and Princess, two Rat Terriers; and finally Peanut, her companion until her death. 

Later in life Kitty and Wilbur divorced. Kitty moved to Broken Bow where she got a job at Nebraska State Bank, then Pizza Hut, which led her to move to Ord and be a manager at the Pizza Hut there. Eventually Kitty would find a career working as a manager at Casey's in Ord and ultimately back in Broken Bow, where she settled until her retirement.

Kitty loved her family and every year she looked forward to the Huffman Cousins Reunion. These super-secret gatherings of all of the Huffman cousins were the best part of her year. It usually included lots of late nights, cards and all that family gossip.

Kitty loved turtles. We are not sure where this came from, but she collected them for many years and most of her clothing had a turtle on it. 

Kitty was so proud of her grandkids - Kyra Brezina, Matthew Holloway, Corey Holloway, Zachary Holloway and Drew Schofield.

Kitty would babysit her grandkids when they were younger. She would travel to see events and she was very involved with their lives. Kitty was so happy when her great-grandkids started to be born, Tyren Brezina, Xander Brezina and Caliburn Brezina, who she was able to see as much as she could over the final year of her life. 

Kitty was also quite fond of her furry grandbabies and would volunteer to drive to Alma or Omaha to stay with them so that Kim and Jon were able to go out of town. The dogs were so excited when Grandma came to visit and were spoiled rotten when Kim and Jon returned. 

Kitty was preceded in death by grandparents Myrtle and Harv Whiteman and Maude and Marion Huffman; father Rex Duryea; and Ron, a dear friend.

She is survived by her mother Mary Duryea; brothers Bud Duryea and wife Cathy and Kelly Duryea, and wife JoDeen; sons Jon Holloway-Wallace and husband Randy and Guy Holloway; daughter Kim Schoefield and husband Dave; grandchildren Kyra Brezina (Holloway) and husband Malachi, Matthew Holloway and wife Erica, Corey Holloway, Zachary Holloway and Drew Schoefield; and great-grandchildren Tyren Brezina, Xander Brezina and Caliburn Brezina. 

Kitty will be remembered for her kindness and love for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and for her dog, Peanut. 

A Celebration of Life will be Jan. 20 at 2 p.m. at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow. Please, no flowers. Donations can be made to Josie Harper Hospice House in Omaha.

Govier Brothers Mortuary are in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.govierbrothers.com.