F E Holiday (Lebanon)'s Obituary
Floral Eugene “F. E.” Holiday, son of Lon E. and Nola Sweaney Holiday, was born August 25, 1923, near Conway, Missouri. He departed this life Monday, July 30, 2012, in Cox Medical Center South, in Springfield, Missouri, at the age of eighty-eight years, eleven months, and five days.
On June 15, 1946, he was united in marriage to Hazel L. Gilpin, and to this union one daughter and one son were born.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Donald Dean Holiday; and three brothers, Wayne, Ernie, and Lowell Holiday.
F.E. is survived by his wife, Hazel, of the home; a daughter, Roxanne Millard, of Phillipsburg, Missouri; a granddaughter, Leesa Padgett; a great-grandchild, Mercedes Padgett; two sisters, Lauretta Caffey, of Conway, Missouri, and Carrie Matthews, of Lebanon, Missouri; several nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other relatives and friends.
He was born and raised in the Conway community, near the Webster and Dallas County lines. He attended Shady Grove and South View Schools, before graduating from Conway High School in the Class of 1941. He entered the military on May 22, 1943, and served his country faithfully in the United States Army until being honorably discharged on January 17, 1946. He was part of the 161st Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division, and was stationed in New Zealand, New Caledonia, and the Island of Luzon in the Philippines, before the occupation of Japan, during World War II. When he returned home, he worked at Fort Leonard Wood for the Department of the Army from 1950 to 1962. In 1963, he and Hazel moved to Arizona where F.E. served as a police officer for the City of Wilcox for five years. In August of 1971, they returned to Missouri, and he and Hazel opened an antique shop which they operated for thirty-two years.
F.E. professed his faith in Christ at an early age at the Phillipsburg United Methodist Church. He had attended several churches throughout his lifetime.
He was a member of the American Legion for over fifty years, and served as a member of the Phillipsburg Town Board for almost thirty years. In his spare time he enjoyed fishing, collecting arrowheads, which he would later give to someone, and also enjoyed antiques. His family was very important to him and he especially enjoyed time with his granddaughter and great-granddaughter.
F.E. was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and uncle, and was a caring neighbor and friend. We commemorate his life and his accomplishments and will treasure the wonderful memories he made for his family and friends throughout the years.
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