Dr. Joaquin Miller Holloway, Jr.

The Christian Benevolent Funeral Home - MMS announces with the deepest sympathy the transition of Dr. Joaquin Miller Holloway, Jr.

Dr. Joaquin M. Holloway, Jr., Ph.D., was born on December 28, 1937, in Mobile, Alabama, the only child of Joaquin M. Holloway, Sr. and Lucy Ariel Williams Holloway. He graduated from Central High School in 1953, then enrolled at Talladega College at age 15, where he joined the Gamma Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. In these formative years, a young Joaquin demonstrated enduring affection, esteem, intimacy, and trust with people that would earn him lifelong friendships around the globe.

Joaquin was an educator for many years, challenging Central High School and Texas Southern University students to strive for excellence. It was also at Texas Southern where a debonair Joaquin, driving his Thunderbird, was struck by the thunderbolt of love and fell head over heels for Malvina Murray. Their love would blossom into a marriage spanning 60 plus years. With marriage and a growing family, Joaquin joined the University of South Alabama faculty as their first Director of Instructional Media in 1969. He also taught a Business class at the College of Business Management until he retired. Along the way, Joaquin's thirst for knowledge led him to acquire two degrees from Indiana University: an M.S. and an ED.S. along with receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Alabama.

In his "spare time," Joaquin pursued many interests, including his love of automobile sales, with many residents of the Gulf Coast still driving vehicles he sold today. This “hobby” was more than a way to generate additional income, it was the perfect way for Joaquin to showcase his personality, networking prowess, desire to serve, and his power of persuasion. When asked which makes he sold, Joaquin often quipped, "if you need a car, I have a seat for every rear!"

Dr. Holloway also had a deep-rooted love for the arts serving as President of Culture in Black and White, a youth arts program that operated for 32 years, training thousands of underserved and marginalized youth in the Mobile, AL area. Former students of Culture in Black and White have gone on to earn international acclaim and awards of the highest order.

Not only did Joaquin showcase his love of the arts through Culture in Black and White, but his voice and taste in music could be heard over the airwaves as he hosted a weekly jazz radio program, “Holloway House.” The radio program led Dr. Holloway to support area jazz festivals and local musicians. He was a regular at performances and jam sessions where he’d often request to perform his favorite tune, “Stormy Monday Blues” or even play his trumpet.

The world of photography has also held an important place in Dr. Holloway's heart. Upon his retirement from the University of South Alabama in 1998, he had more time to concentrate on photography, which had been another passion for many years. His works are on display in many prominent locations throughout Mobile county, the state of Alabama, and in many neighboring states. He refers to his extensive collection of photographs as "Scenes I've Seen." ™

Another of his lifelong hobbies was model railroading. He participated in train shows and was seen by many on TV promoting his model railroading club's Holiday exhibit. His love of photography and railroading converged when two of his color photographs of local scenes were selected to be mounted inside the Buena Vista Business Car as it travels throughout the country on the Norfolk Southern Railroad system.

In his rich and long life, Dr. Holloway had many mentors; and considered his parents his first. They were great teachers, mentoring and exposing him to life lessons and experiences. His mother, Lucy Ariel Williams Holloway, a graduate of Fisk University, was an educator and poet with five published poems in Opportunity, one of the leading journals of the Harlem Renaissance. Her most famous poem was ‘Northboun'’, and Ariel Holloway Elementary School in Mobile, AL, is named in her honor. His father, Joaquin Miller Holloway, Sr., graduated from Talladega College in the 1930s, joined Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., graduated Magna Cum Laude in Physics, and went on to teach at Dunbar Junior High School before finishing his professional career as an employee of the United States Postal Service. His grandfather, Dr. H. Roger Williams, a graduate of Meharry Medical College, a pharmacist, and an M.D., owned Live and Let Live Pharmacy on Dauphin Street in downtown Mobile.

Dr. Holloway is survived by his wife, Malvina Murray Holloway. Together they had three children, Monica Holloway Barrett (deceased), Joaquin Holloway, III, and Josef (Shayla) Holloway; five grandchildren, Ariel Barrett, Raven Davis, Josef Holloway, II, Shayla Morgan Holloway, Rhys Holloway; and one great-granddaughter, Sage Davis.

                                                                             Celebration of life

                                                                 Wednesday December 28, 2022  5P.M.

                                                                                       Calirojae

                                                                  1004 Dauphin Island Parkway Mobile, Al 36605

Final arrangements have been entrusted to Christian Benevolent Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in his honor be made to the Special Needs Athletic Program at www.snapofalabama.org/donate.