Hilda Loraine Holliday

Hilda Loraine HOLLIDAY Mother of six, family matriarch, plainspoken source of wisdom, common sense, and love, Hilda Loraine (Davis) Holliday passed away November 29th after a short illness. She was born on October 13th, 1924 on a farm in central Ohio, into a family that grew to include nine chil dren. Pretty, bright and hard-work ing, as a teen she worked at the Curtiss-Wright Aircraft factory in Columbus, Ohio before joining the U.S. Navy to serve during World War II. She signed for "the duration" and rose to the rank of First Class Avia tion Metalsmith, repairing Navy aircraft at Philadelphia Naval Air Station and acting as flight crew for airborne radar tests. At the conclu sion of the war she moved west to attend college. She married Donald Holliday, and had six children over the next 15 years while working to build Dr. Holliday’s successful vete rinary practice in Eastgate, Wash ington. She raised her family as a single mother after 1965, working as a Special Education Aide in the Belle vue School District. Her interest in Special Education was inspired by her son, Jon, now 46. Thanks to her tireless, pioneering efforts on behalf of all developmentally handicapped young people during the mid-1960s, Jon and his peers were able to attend special classes in the public schools through the age of 21. She asked for no recognition but is known by all who participated in this emancipating and humanizing work as an articu late and forceful advocate for those in need. A tolerant and welcoming figure with a good sense of humor and no time to be judgmental, her home in Bellevue became a refuge for young people who needed a place to decom press. Surrounded by her menagerie of children and their friends, a three- legged dog, and the occasional horse giving birth in the back yard, she made a warm home from very meager resources. She never pretended to be anything other than what she wasâ€"a mother with full responsibility for a large family. As her children moved on and out of the house over the decades, she remained, living happily and inde pendently until her final illness. Her neighbors loved her and gave her great happiness with their friend ship. She enjoyed the many visits from her children, their spouses, her grandchildren and great-grandchil dren. She also enjoyed her "alone time," when she read mystery fiction, two newspapers a day, science and geography magazines among many other things. She enjoyed a few special television shows, and was happy to finally choose the channel after decades of raising children. Hilda is survived by all six of her children: Cheryl Magnu son of San Diego, Bruce Holliday of Renton, Guy (and Cathy) Holliday of Seattle, Jamie (and Arla) Holliday of Woodinville, Jon Holliday of Shore line and Arminda (and Jonathan) Phillips of Seattle. She also has seven grandchildren and three great- grandchildren. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 16 at Sunset Hills Funeral Home, 1215 145th Place SE, Bellevue, WA 98007. Please visit her memorial website @ www.mem.com. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Banchero Friends Services, 2335 N. 196th place #O-104, Shoreline, WA 98133, www.banchero.org.