Obituary of Esther Nora Holley

Esther Nora Holley, our feisty and loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away Sunday, August 25, 2019, at Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital. She was 91 years old. 

A funeral service will be held Thursday, August 29^th, at 5:00 PM, at Janowicz Family Funeral Home in Remus, with Pastor Dar Howard officiating. Family will be at the funeral home to greet friends from 4:00 PM to the time of service Thursday afternoon. Esther will be laid to rest next to her late husband, Vernon Holley, at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta on Friday, August 30^th. 

Esther was born April 17, 1928, the daughter of Orlando and Ina (Wright) Bugbee. She married Vernon Holley on April 17, 1947, and together the two grew their family to include four children. Sadly, Esther was preceded in death by her husband and two sons, David and Michael Holley. 

Esther was a selfless woman, perpetually giving her time and talents to help better her community in any way that she could. She played an instrumental role in getting the Mecosta County Senior Center up and running nearly 30 years ago, and volunteered there up until the week before her passing. Through her volunteer work at the Senior Center, she made many great friends and developed many long-lasting friendships. A woman of strong faith, Esther was an active member of the Big Rapids Church of the Nazarene. She loved her church deeply, as well as all of the members. 

Caring, strong-willed, and straightforward were all words used to describe Esther. She was a great cook known best for her meatloaf, potato salad, and chocolate chip cookies. Family meant  the world to her and she meant the same to them. 

Left to cherish her memory are her children, John Holley and Rosemary (Dwight) Mead; grandchildren, Amy Holley, Timothy Mead, and Megan; great-grandchildren, Preston and Anthony; brother, Robert Bugbee, and sisters, Lillian Dodge, Sandy Clark, and Joan Todd. 

Esther was preceded in death by her parents; husband; two sons; and brothers, Lewis, Clyde, Thomas, Jack, Jerry, and Jim. 

Those desiring may direct memorial contributions to the Mecosta County Senior Center.