Edoltha J. Holmes (1933-2013)

Edoltha J. Holmes (1933-2013)

Shared within a local Facebook group (author unknown). This was slightly edited for grammar and spelling.

Eldotha Juanita Holmes was born to the late Elbert and Serella Ingram on May 10th, 1933, in Athens, Ga. She was the second of three children born to this union. On Friday, July 19th, 2013, God sent his Angels to bring her home.

Mrs. Eldotha Holmes enjoyed a long and illustrious career as an educator and mentor in the Turner County Public School System for 35 years. Mrs. Holmes taught the Fourth Grade at Eureka and Sycamore Elementary. She also served as a Music Teacher and Choral Director in the school system.

Eldotha attended Morris Brown College in Atlanta, where she received the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Morris Brown College in 1953. Her additional studies were done at Fort Valley State College and Atlanta University.

She worked tirelessly, serving in a number of community and civic organizations. She always put the Lord's work first. She served in the following ministries:

• Pianist
• President of Pastors Aide Club
• Treasurer
• The Deaconess Board.

She loved all the churches in the county and would share her musical gifts wherever there was a need. She was never concerned about the money and felt that there was always a "blessing around the corner."
She even formed a local group named "The Gospel Starlets." They periodically appeared on the Doc Suttles radio program (WJIZ, Albany, GA).

She was also a Gospel Promoter and brought the following groups to Ashburn: The Dixie Hummingbirds, Shirley Caesar, The William Brothers, The Five Blind Boys, The Highway QC's, Troy Jackson and The Jacksonettes, Sis. Rosestta Tharpe, The Siamese Twins and many others.

Mrs. Holmes also did broadcast spots for the Solomon Nixon Funeral Home. Mrs. Holmes, along with the community, took extreme pride in coordinating the Baccalaureate Services for African American graduating seniors in the county. She served in this capacity for 14 plus years.

She also volunteered her gifts at the Ashburn nursing home and even played for patients while being hospitalized.

She was an active member in the following organizations: Morris Brown Alumni Association, The Girl Scouts of America, National Education Society, Georgia Teachers Association, and Local and State Retired Teachers Associations.

Mrs. Holmes received numerous awards for her commitment to the youth, including being inducted into the Eureka High School Hall of Fame. She was selected as Teacher of the Year in 1982. In 1991, she was chosen as one of South Georgia's most influential African American residents. Mrs. Holmes belonged to the community of Ashburn, Georgia. She served as a mentor and mom to all those who needed her. She had the unbelievable ability to love and forgive. She will be sorely missed.

Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/132787057/eldotha-j-holmes#view-photo=204995744