Mildred Yvonne Holden

Mildred Y. (Gillard) Holden, age 87 of Jonesboro, passed away on the evening of August 29, 2020. The family held a private service at Greenbriar Cemetery.

Mildred was born on January 1, 1933 the 7^th of 10 children to the late George Henry and Elsie Mae Moore Gillard. She was born during the depression era in South Texas, times were hard, but she learned to make do and appreciate what she had. After she finished school, she headed for a visit with her sister who lived in Jonesboro. There she met her future husband, Raye Holden, and there was no going back. They married on February 11, 1951, and spent 66 years together before he preceded her in death in 2017. Mildred had a variety of jobs in her 87 years, from waitressing to Avon representative to Walls MFG and finally as an aide at a nursing home. Mildred’s main occupation in life was to love and care for people. She was her mother-in-law’s right hand and personal chauffeur. She quit an eight hour a day job to care for her father-in-law 24 hours a day. Mildred later quit a job she loved to care for and nurture her granddaughter, Rena. She soon became the “Go-To” person for childcare. This is the job she treasured the most and many strong relationships as well as many versions of the title grandma were born during this time period. Mildred loved music, reading, needlecrafts of all kinds, traveling, eating in restaurants and just life in general. She was a member of Jonesboro Baptist Church. She was an optimist, a pragmatist and very unselfish.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, William Raye Holden; infant son, William Raye Holden II; sisters, Ruth Bohnenburger, Inez Schwalbe, Lois Steckle, Jeaneen Perez, and Mary Gillard; brothers, George Henry Gillard II, Donald, Douglas,  and Sam Gillard.

Mildred is survived by her daughter, Ponice Hartman; sons, David Holden and wife, Tamera and Glen Holden; grandchildren, Clesia, Kyle, Lance, Amy, Rena, Lauren, Trevor, Erica; 18 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, Garlan Holden and wife Gaenelle.

Memorials may be made to Jonesboro Baptist Church; PO Box 144; Jonesboro, TX 76538 or Greenbriar Cemetery Association; 2470 Greenbriar Rd.; Gatesville, TX 76528.