One of this area's most colorful personalities, John Clarence "J.C." Holland crossed the chilling waters of Jordan at 8:44 PM on Monday, June 20, 2016 at Sanctuary Hospice House after battling Dementia/Alzheimer's for almost eight years. J.C. was the baby of seven children born in the Palmetto Community of Lee County on February 27, 1931 to the late Thomas McKinley Holland and Ottie Hester Holland. J. C.'s mother, Ottie, was killed in a tornado in 1942. He was then fortunate to share in the life of Farra Mae Ivy Holland, who, along with his elder sisters, Evelyn and Mary, raised him. Jay, as he was known in youth and to many, was always mischievous, spoiled and a splendid athlete. While under the coaching of the late Bodine Bourland at Shannon High School, he received the outstanding lineman recognition from the Tombigbee Conference and was chosen for a full football scholarship to Mississippi State University. However, as was one of his passions throughout life, he enjoyed the company of females and met and married Sadie Monts Holland on December 10, 1949, which negated his scholarship eligibility. Sadie and J. C. early in life owned and operated Holland's Grocery in the Palmetto Community, a full service furnish store that was the hub of the community. J. C. worked initially for B & B Concrete in Tupelo. He and Sadie took literally the biblical admonition to "be fruitful and multiply" and had six sons born within nine years. In 1960, with a personal loan of $800 from the late Pat and Velma Dougherty, J. C. purchased the ole Mount Bass Farm at City Point south of Plantersville, naming his new adventure the Sadie J Farm. From there, he would rapidly rise in the ranks of farming, purchase hundreds of acres of land in partnership with "Mr. Pat", the Federal Land Bank and Production Credit Association, and at one point in his career, he was farming cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat, cattle and livestock on almost 10, 000 acres in three Mississippi counties. In 1965, he and his family were singularly honored by being named Mississippi's Outstanding Young Farmer and Farm Family. In 1966, he was chosen as one of four Outstanding Young Farmers of America, the first Mississippian to achieve this national recognition. J. C. loved the land and all its produce. He was a progressive agriculturalist setting trends unheard of by others. He accomplished this through partnerships with Mississippi State University, yielding acres for on-site research by the University. He was a pioneer in "no till" farming in this area, one of the charter members of the Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board and longtime Chairman, was active in soil and water conservation organizations locally, statewide and nationally. It was once said about him in Progressive Farmer magazine, "J. C. Holland could make a silk purse out of a sow's ear." The Sadie J became a storybook farm over the years and became a "teaching" farm for young people entering the profession as well as a showplace for staging many agricultural functions. J. C. and Sadie kept their boys engaged in 4-H Club, FFA and other youth organizations showing prized registered Black Angus cattle throughout the Mid- South all their growing up years. In addition to his farming pursuits, J. C. founded and was longtime President of Holland Construction Company, major road builders in the 1970's and 1980's. He owned several other small businesses and financially empowered others to start small businesses. He served many years as a member of the Lee County School Board including during the tumultuous time of integration in the 1960's. He grew up in the Oak Valley Christian Church near Palmetto and was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church of Plantersville and a former deacon. J.C., like his great-grandfather, grandfather and father before him, was a 32 Degree Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner.

J. C. cut a wide path in 85 years and his legacy will be that of a good-timing southern man who left few stones unturned and approached each and every day with the gusto of a hound dog. His sons and their families express gratitude for his long, interesting life.

A celebration of his life will be held at 7 p.m. today, Wednesday, June 22, 2016 at the Sanctuary at the Sadie J Farm, 2.5 miles south of Plantersville with his nephew, Bro. Bobby Holland, officiating and Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley delivering the eulogy. A Masonic graveside will follow in the Holland Family Cemetery on the Sadie J with refreshments to be served under the tall oaks after services are complete, a la J.C. style. Visitation will be from 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the Tupelo Chapel of Holland Funeral Directors. It is suggested by the family that remembrances of J. C. be sent to Sanctuary Hospice House, P. O. Box 2177, Tupelo, MS. 38802 as an expression of their gratitude for the splendid care he received before transforming to eternal life.

J. C.'s large family includes his 6 sons in order of birth; Lee County Board of Supervisors President Billy Joe Holland, Don Holland (died May 22, 2009), State Representative Steve Holland and his wife, Mayor Gloria Holland, Perry Holland, John A. Holland and his wife, Judy and Jimmy Holland all of Plantersville and Nettleton; the queen bee of all their lives, their Mother and J. C.'s wife of 35 years, Judge Sadie Monts Holland; 19 grandchildren who knew him as Big Big: Deanna, Brian, Chip, Karen, Michael, Brittany, Kaylee, T.J., Ashley, Emily, McKinley, Haiwei, Christine, Ryan, Emilee, Buddy, Linzie, Austin and Hunter and 30 great grandchildren, more or less; his siblings: Joanne Wood (Sammy) of Tupelo, Mildred Burt (John Wayne) of Palmetto, Sandra Sullivan of Shannon and Leon Holland of Tupelo; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins including Martha Jane Homan of Shannon, with whom he lived the last five years and whose watch care was exemplary and generous; two special lady friends, Juanita Bynum and Dorothy Benson (died April 14, 2011) and a wide circle of friends everywhere. He was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Don; his daughter-in-law, Gwen Holland; Roger Dale Evans, who was like his seventh son; his siblings, Evelyn, Mary, Julian, Herschel, Herbert and Bud and his farming mentor, Mr. Horial Scruggs.

Condolences may be e mailed to [email protected]. Casual dress please!