Ophelia "Sue" Holloway

Sue Holloway – wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, nurse, social worker, member of First Baptist Church Muskogee, and friend to many, died on July 14, 2020. Although her physical heart failed her after a long battle with heart disease, her true heart – filled with grit, humor and love - never wavered. Born in DeWitt, Arkansas just two months before the U.S. entered WWII, Sue grew up surrounded by a large family, including 19 first cousins, numerous aunts and uncles, her father (Press Whiting), mother (Kathleen ), and sister (Lil Oler). Sue often described her childhood in DeWitt as “perfect.” Just 20 days after her 18th birthday, she married her beloved husband of 60 years, Max Holloway. Max also grew up in DeWitt where he and Sue had met. They began their married life in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Sue worked for a local doctor while Max earned an engineering degree from the U of A. In 1968, after living in Stuttgart and Hot Springs, Arkansas, Max and Sue relocated to Muskogee where Sue lived out the remainder of her life. Sue helped Max get his engineering firm in Muskogee off the ground, attended and graduated from nursing school at Bacone College, and enjoyed a long career at the Oklahoma Department of Human Services where, among her many accomplishments, she was a member of the team that designed and implemented Oklahoma’s ADvantage waiver program in 1995. Her knowledge, abilities, interpersonal skills and dedication to the care of people made her an asset to this team. The ADvantage program brought sweeping changes to Oklahoma’s Medicaid system by offering frail individuals a stay-at-home alternative to entering a nursing home. Because of Sue’s efforts, thousands of Oklahomans have been able to remain in their homes and avoid nursing home care till the end of their lives. In addition to her full-time work helping others, Sue was a decades-long active congregant at First Baptist Church in Muskogee. She raised two children, Lindsey and Laura, had a warm dinner on the table every night, and never missed her children’s softball games, baseball games and other activities. Sue understood “leaning in” long before women of the 2000s started writing books about it. After retiring in 2005 Sue enjoyed traveling, visiting numerous parts of the U.S. – east and west – on long road trips with Max, and seeing the beautiful and historic sights of Europe from river cruises, which she and Max enjoyed with their dear friends. Sue especially valued time spent with her family. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren who lived nearby were a constant presence in her life, and each one brought her great joy. Sue is survived by her husband, Max; son, Lindsey and his wife, Mitzi, of Muskogee; daughter, Laura and her husband, Jon Carter, of Seattle, WA; granddaughter, Jessica Holloway and her husband Jeremy Sheldon of Muskogee; grandson, Taylor Holloway, of Tulsa; granddaughter, Anna, of Owasso; and her great-grandchildren, Judah, Jameson, and Stella Sheldon, all of Muskogee. A celebration of Sue's life will be 10AM, Thursday, June 10, 2021 at Muskogee First Baptist Church with Rev. Billy Parker offciating.

Ophelia "Sue" Holloway

October 4, 1941 - July 14, 2020