Florence Robie (Reed) Holway | 1915 - 2012 | Obituary

Florence Robie (Reed) Holway

June 2, 1915 - February 7, 2012

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Obituary, any questions, please call (603) 755-3535

Alton, NH

Florence Robie Reed Holway was born in Belmont, Massachusetts on June 2, 1915 to Edna Charles Brown and Byron William Reed. Although she grew up in Belmont, her mother’s family had old and deep ties to Cape Cod going back to the great whaling days, so she summered on the Cape and planned to live there. She received a degree at Mass. Art and moved to the Cape to paint portraits. Shortly she became well known enough to be hired by several families on Staten Island to paint their children. The outbreak of WWII put a stop to private portraiture and Florence went back to Boston and worked at Mass. General as a medical artist studying the affects of sulfur drugs in the kidneys. Her kidney drawings are still considered extraordinary.

In 1943 she married Spear T. Holway, who was being shipped to Okinawa. They had five children during and after the war: Sidney Thomas Holway, Byron Reed Holway, Charles Thatcher Holway, Robie Ellen Holway and William Spear Holway.

In 1958 Florence left Cape Cod, a single mom with five children, and landed in Peterborough, NH where she put herself through Keene State College by working nights at Monadnock Hospital. After receiving her Education degree in 1963 she moved to Alton, NH where she continued to raise her children, taught school, farmed and gardened, and carried on her passion for painting and opening her own gallery.

Florence was known nationally and abroad for her courage and perseverance as she fought long and hard to change both federal and state legislation for victims of rape.

Even to the end Florence was a woman of great determination. As she wished, she died in her home with family at her side. She was strong and healthy most of her life, but at the age of 96 her body was tired.

She is survived by her five children, nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

She lived her life giving and doing for others. For this reason her memory will warm our hearts forever.

A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 5:00 pm at Peaslee Alton Funeral Home, 12 School Street, Alton, NH . Rev. Charles Wilson, pastor of The Bay Church will officiate. Family and friends are welcome. Interment will be in the spring at New Riverside Cemetery in Alton. To express condolences, please visit: www.peasleefuneralhome.com