Eloise Holifield

Eloise Holifield went home to be with the Lord on December 2, 2012, at age 92. Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, December 5, 2012, at Siloam Baptist Church in Marion with Reverend John Nicholson officiating. Burial will follow in Marion Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday from 9 to 10:45 a.m. at the church.

Oh how we will miss Eloise Holifield. She was a Marion magnolia with just enough sass to make her fun. Until recently, she braved the football crowds and navigated stadium steps to attend every Alabama football game! Two years ago, at the age of 90, Marion Times ran a photo of her riding on the back of Tim Wendell’s motorcycle, just because she could!

Eloise was a friend to all; so generous was she with her talents and time, her heart, and her friendship. In fact, as her funeral arrangements were being made, it was said we might better find a stadium to hold all the folks who love her. Comfortable with all, regardless of life’s station, she had an uncommon number of people who counted her as a genuine friend. Widowed in 1981 and having no children, she enjoyed a rich and loving relationship with all her siblings and nieces and nephews, and more recently grandnieces and nephews.

She was hired at Marion Bank and Trust in 1947 and worked there, with only a brief respite of retirement, until she broke her hip in August of this year. While at Marion Bank, Eloise worked her way up the ladder from bookkeeper to teller to head teller to assistant cashier and on to retire as assistant vice president. She returned to the bank shortly after retirement to serve in public relations for the bank. Her bank friends were family to her as well.

Pallbearers include Ben Holifield, David, Paul, Bob, Bill, and Joe Christenberry, and Rick and Russell Mayfield.

Eloise was preceded in death by her parents, Johnnie and Alieze Christenberry; her husband, Elmer Holifield; and her siblings, O’Neal Massey (Gip) and Johnny Christenberry (Ruth).

She is survived by her brother, Boyd Christenberry (Sara), and sisters, Margaret Brown (Drew) and Emily Lacy (Fred). She is also survived by a host of nieces and nephews and grandnieces and nephews, all thankful for her legacy.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Siloam Baptist Church, Judson College, or Marion Military Institute in Marion, Ala.

It is a comfort for us to know her relationship on earth with her living Lord finds her in Heaven this morning. Her faith was a practical one because she practiced it consistently. She began each day with “This is the day the Lord has made. I will be glad and rejoice in it!” And she did. May we all follow her lead

All obituaries are taken from the website of the corresponding funeral home unless otherwise noted.