Margaret “Rachel” Holloway-Messick

Margaret “Rachel” Holloway-Messick, a resident of Luverne, Alabama and formerly of Dothan, passed away on Sunday, June 6, 2021 at her home following a brave fight with cancer. She was 72 years old.

A celebration of her life will be held at 3:00 pm on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at Mt. Gilead Baptist Church with Brother Tom Anderson officiating. Burial will follow in Mt. Gilead Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church on Saturday from 12-3 pm. The family requests that friends and family please wear a face mask.

Rachel was born on November 4, 1948 in Moultrie, GA to the late Julius Clyde and Mildred Mary Cox. She graduated from Doerun High School and became a hairdresser. She met and married Gary Fritz Holloway, Sr., together they would move to Dothan and have 2 children. Rachel was a wonderful homemaker and a talented seamstress, she and Gary sold handmade arts and crafts and enjoyed traveling around to different craft shows on Saturdays. After Gary passed away from a long battle with cancer, she started working with Wiregrass Hospice as their volunteer coordinator. She would later marry William “Randall” Messick and together they moved to Luverne, AL where she lived until she passed. Rachel enjoyed life to the fullest, she loved going to the lake, fishing, and planting flowers in her garden, and cooking homemade Sunday dinner for her family. She truly had a servant’s heart, taking care of others, sending out cards, and making wreaths to give away to friends and family. Rachel loved being with her family, especially her grandchildren, who were the light of her life. She enjoyed every minute of being their Moo-Moo. Rachel was a long time member of Mt. Gilead Baptist Church.

Rachel was preceded in death by her parents, Julius Clyde Cox and Mildred Mary Cox, by the father of her children, Gary Fritz Holloway, Sr., her sisters, Shirley Sprayberry and Doris Jones, and by her brother, J. C. Cox.

Survivors include her children, “Buster” Gary Fritz (Lorie) Holloway, Jr., Dothan, Carrie Rebecca Holloway (Jeremy) Baggett, Dothan, and her stepson, Jeremy Messick; her grandchildren, Justin Holloway of Birmingham, Whitney (Chris) Cable of Dothan, Benjamin Holloway of Dothan, Carley Baggett of Dothan, Spencer Baggett of Dothan, and a step-grandchild, Eli Messick of Luverne; her great-grandchild, Gracie Mae Cable; her brother, Randy (Darlene) Cox; her sister-in-law, Jackie Cox; and several nieces and nephews. Serving as active pallbearers will be Jeremy Messick, Tim Walker, Stephen Williams, Jamie Mills, Bruce Sellers, and David Anderson.

Robert and Toni Byrd · Sunset Memorial Park

1700 Barrington Rd, Midland City AL · (334) 983-6604