Norma Jean Holley, 76, passed away Thursday morning, November 4, 2021, in Miami, FL.
Jean, as she preferred, was born in Pensacola, FL on November 18, 1944 to the late Warren Theodore “Ted” Peabody and Evelyn Burnham. Ted, born near Ekalaka, Montana in 1920, was son of Lawrence “Dick” Peabody and Bonnie Brandley. He met his spouse, Evelyn, in 1942 while on duty with the U.S. Navy in Pensacola.
Jean attended high school and junior college in Pensacola, and graduated from Florida State University in 1966 with a B.S. degree in elementary education. She enjoyed her ten-year teaching career in Florida and Mississippi public schools before moving to Miami, and she was undoubtedly cherished by her students. For several years prior to, and many years following the birth of her beloved only child, she held various employment positions in accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll in several Miami-based companies: Barbachano Travel Service, The Flyer Publishing Co., Carnival Cruise Lines, World Ford Motor Co., Doral Golf Resort, and Garment Corporation of America. Jean was an adoring and proud mother. She will also be remembered as an avid reader, a Scrabble and Jeopardy whiz, and a cat and bird lover.
She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Robert M. Holley, Jr. of Miami, FL; her daughter, Christina Holley of Conover, NC; her sister, Carol Peek of Tyler, TX; her half-sister, Mary Catherine Bonarirgo of Pensacola, FL; her aunt Madlon Brence, Ekalaka, MT; her uncle Joseph R. Peabody, The Villages, FL; her niece Julie Cole of Whitehouse, TX; and her nephews: Michael Peek of Whitehouse TX; Jeffery Peek of Lonoke, AR ; and Jake Pigg of Decatur, AL.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Dolores Pigg and her brother-in-law, Richard Peek.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date. The family requests that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to Best Friends Animal Society (https://bestfriends.org), Southern Scholarship Foundation (https://www.southernscholarship.org/) , Reading Is Fundamental (www.rif.org), or Police Officer Assistance Trust ( https://poat.org/ ) .
Dear Robert Holley, my distant cousin:
So sorry to read of your wife’s passing. I know the journey through COVID and getting help through caring for your wife has been difficult and exhausting. I was just working on Isabel Clark, the cousin of Sarah McDonough Connelly and Sadie Rogers when I was drawn back to your web page. Again, I am searching for Isabel’s parents as listed on her death record, Isabel Crable and William Clark.
At some point in the Millennium all of the genealogical mysteries will be more clear to us. And we will more perfectly understand Heavenly Father’s plan for his children on earth. My faith tells me that you will see your lovely wife again and know her instantly, what a wonderful future we all have to look forward to.
Blessings,
Cousin Mitzi