Donald H. Hollis

Don was born a 3 lb. preemie in 1953. His twin died. Don had several congenital disorders: hydrocephalus, speech difficulties, and retinopathy of prematurity which resulted in legal blindness.

He grew up in Elmore, firmly convinced and resolved he was a regular guy. He couldn't play sports or drive due to his poor vision, but he could ride a bicycle and read books. And boy, did he do both. He graduated from Woodmore High School in 1973. He lived a couple of years in Newport News, VA; then, back to Elmore in 1976. Then he met me, his wife Helen, in Bowling Green. He decided he liked me and rode his bike every weekend from Elmore to Bowling Green down Route 105, a 22 mile ride. When he kept coming into November and December, I knew "we" were meant to be.

We moved to Columbus in 1977 where Don quickly mastered the bus system. He attended Ohio Dominican College. We married in 1979. Securing meaningful gainful employment was difficult for him due to discrimination based on disability. Divine intervention occurred and he was hired in 1986 by Defense Supply Center Columbus, where he stayed for 30 years as a proud and capable civilian employee of the United States Defense Department. He won many merit based awards, culminating, in 2010, as "Top Ten in DLA (Defense Logistics Agency)," an organization spanning the world and employing 25,000 people. (Yes, it was a BFD.)

He was a hands-on dad to Annie, born in 1986, and Gary, born in 1990. He parented them while I worked evenings, nights, and weekends. Bottles and diapers, then meals and adventures. One New Year's Eve, he took them to Pittsburgh (at ages 4 and 8) via Greyhound Bus. They grew up exposed to the world of disabilities and it forever opened their world views.

Don was intelligent and had a remarkable memory. From a wheelchair in 1993 (the result of a serious car vs. pedestrian accident), he taught himself to understand and use computers. He read incessantly. Our houses have overflowed with his political analysis, science fiction, and other nonfiction books. You could ask him 20 years later about something he had read and he could tell you the whole plot of the story.

Other guys may have had sports cars or motorcycles, but Don had a stereo system. His "golden ears" loved music, from Led Zeppelin to the Carpenters, to Cyndi Lauper, Wagner, and Mozart. He loved cats, Siamese in particular. We had 4 over the years. Don was also a competent weather forecaster. He was always game for travel, hitting most of the 50 states, including Alaska and Hawai'i (six times!). He went to Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Australia.

Don had a deep and sustaining faith that started with his going to the United Church of Christ in Elmore alone as a child. He read and knew the Bible. Over the years we went to Catholic and United Methodist churches. He was quiet and dependable observing and living out his faith. After he retired, we moved "back home" to Lindsey. He loved the quiet and friendliness of this little village.

Don has his long-deceased grandmother, Mary Martin, of Westernport, MD, and his older sister Cheryl to thank for their steady kindness and respect as he was growing up.

He leaves behind: Me, Helen Hollis, his wife of 46 years; Annie Hollis, daughter, and her partner Iris Pedisich of Baltimore, MD; son Gary Hollis and wife Dana Keester of Suffern, NY; sisters Cheryl and Bill Shaver, Carlene and David Flint, and Krissi and Carl Wymer, all of Virginia; in-laws Ed and Sally Ellis of Piqua, OH; lifelong friend Bill Verbryke of Elmore; and many many other friends and relatives.

If you want to honor Don's memory, hire a disabled person for a full time position that offers a living wage and a benefits package. If you aren't in a position to do that, then vote for politicians and support policies that enable people of all abilities and orientations to succeed. Contributions to the Family and Child Abuse Prevention Center of Toledo would also be appropriate.

His funeral will be at Wonderly-Horvath in Fremont on Monday, November 17th. Visiting hours 10:30-12:30, service at 12:30, then a gravesite rite at the cemetery in Lindsey. All will be welcome to our home afterwards for a meal and reminisces. Bring your stories, we want to hear.