Linda Gayle Holland

Lubbock - Linda Gayle Holland was born April 8, 1950, to Price and Naomi Holland (of Plainview), in Littlefield, Texas. Growing up, Gayle was active in her youth church groups and was very close to her parents since she was 8 years younger than her big brother Wayne. Her first job was selling tickets at the Granada Theatre in Plainview and through the years she developed a deep interest in art, interior design and travel. After graduation from Plainview High School in 1968, she attended Waylon Baptist College before following in her dad and brother's footsteps, graduating from Texas Tech University in 1972. She worked briefly for James Pinson Interiors in Lubbock after college graduation but soon decided to join the family business at Holland Gardens beginning January of 1973. It didn't take Gayle long to contribute in a major way, introducing the idea of expanding the nursery business by adding a full-scale Christmas department as a yearly addition to allow the business to stay open after primarily focusing on lawn and garden categories almost exclusively up until that time. For the next 51 years, Gayle oversaw both the gift and Christmas departments as well as ventures into wholesale distribution as the store transitioned through the decades. Traveling cross-country to every major buying market in the industry for business as well exploring every state in the union both with family and sometimes alone as a single lady her entire life, Gayle was a determined, driven individual who belied her small stature and dealt with medical challenges throughout her journey. She dearly loved her family, providing loving care of her parents in their advanced years after they relocated from Plainview to Lubbock in 1990. She loved collecting keepsakes of every sort from a lifetime of exploring on her travels, read and collected favorite authors and was known for her generosity and unique ability to find the perfect gifts for family birthdays and holiday gatherings. In recent years, Gayle struggled with the onset of Parkinson's Disease but never wavered in her determination to participate with family and caregivers whenever possible. She very recently attended her all-school reunion in Plainview and was working toward gaining back her physical independence after medical setbacks forced her to move to assisted living care in Lubbock. She was preceded in death by her parents and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins whom she was close to throughout her life. She is survived by her brother Wayne and sister-in-law Ann Holland of Lubbock; nephew Darryl and wife Stephanie Holland of Lubbock; and niece Keila Dillard and husband Todd of Lubbock. Other family members close to Gayle include great nephew Schuyler Holland of Lubbock, great niece Kelsey Offutt and husband Nathan of Austin; and great niece Sloane Dillard of Lubbock. Gravesite memorial service Monday, August 4, at 1 pm in Plainview Memorial Park.