Mary Straus Hollowell

Mary Straus Hollowell, 91, passed away peacefully on January 27, 2020, in Dothan Al. surrounded by her loving family.

A memorial service will be held at 12 noon on Saturday, February 8, 2020 in Sunset Funeral Home Chapel. Inurnment will follow in Sunset Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

Born April 16, 1928 in Youngstown, Ohio. She lived in Philadelphia and Pittsburg during her youth and later moved to the Panama Canal Zone in 1940. While in High School she was a member of the U.S.O. where she attended dances organized for the Army Air Corp and Navy Service Personnel during the time of World War II. She graduated from Balboa High School, Class of 1946. She met her husband, Freeland R. Hollowell Sr. at the El Rancho, Rep. of Panama, after winning a Jitter Bug Dance contest. They began dating in 1948 and were married October 8, 1949 at the Tivoli Hotel in Ancon, Panama Canal Zone. They moved to Burbank, California in 1964 where they purchased a Frosty Freeze Franchise, later selling it in 1966 and moved back to the Panama Canal Zone. After her return, she started working at the Division Store House as a Purchasing Clerk/Supplier for the Panama Canal Company. While in Panama she belonged to a women’s club called “Stitch and Bitch” where they made a variety of arts and crafts. She retired in 1979 with 48 years of civil service with the Panama Canal Commission. She moved to Dothan, Alabama in May 1979 where she enjoyed spending time with family and friends, shopping, taking lots of pictures, playing Bingo, Bowling, and watching Judge Judy. She was highly competitive and very hard to beat at Scrabble, canasta, rummy, and solitaire war. She was a fan of the Atlanta Braves and the New Orleans Saints. She was a member of the Panama Canal Society. She attended the annual Panama Canal Society Reunion in Orlando Florida and the local monthly Panama Canal Luncheon in the wiregrass area.

She is preceded in death by her Husband Freeland R. Hollowell Sr. of 59 years; daughter Jenny Hollowell; mother/father Ruth L. & Robert J. Straus; sisters Dorothy Moore & Ida Gifford; daughter Jenny Hollowell.

Survivors are sons, Freeland R. Hollowell Jr., David(Amy)Hollowell; daughter, Laurie Hollowell Rinehart(Mike); sister Margaret Edwards; granddaughter Adrianna Hollowell; Grandsons Freeland Hollowell III; Timothy(Carmen) Rinehart, Adam Rinehart, Michael A. Rinehart. Several great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Robert and Toni Byrd · Sunset Memorial Park

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