Mary Elizabeth Holbrook, age 90, of Bristol, Virginia, went to be with the Lord on Friday, March 24, 2023, at Oakmont at Gordon Park. She began her life here on January 23, 1933, the only daughter born to Charles Wesley McKinley Campbell and Margie Roberta Campbell.
With five brothers, living on a working farm, she was always busy, setting her lifestyle for being a doer, and worker bee. Farm life kept Mary busy, working in the fields and helping to cook large meals for her family, which instilled her incomparable gift for preparing fabulous meals for her own friends and family years later. It also taught her a love for animals, a trait adopted by her own daughter Beth years later.
Her love for the Lord came at an early age, as she was faithfully taken to church by her Grandfather Willie Hubbard, who lived to the age of 105, and of whom we have fond memories.
Mary met and married the love of her life, Alfred Eugene Holbrook “Al” in 1952. Together they started out on their married life, with no idea how God would use them to bless and influence others. After a few years, they moved to Columbus, Ohio, where they helped start a church, Whitehall Church of Christ. Their first two daughters, Joyce and Peggy, were born in Columbus.
Mary and Al eventually relocated to Bristol, Tennessee, in 1959. God led them to West Hills Christian Church, where their membership lasted a lifetime. Al operated his own businesses, as an auto mechanic, and Mary partnered with him as his bookkeeper. God blessed them with a third daughter, Beth, and their family was complete.
Hospitality was one of Mary’s gifts and one taught and passed on to her daughters. Music was another love of Mary’s, so much so that she saved money to purchase a piano so her daughters could learn to play. She had a beautiful alto voice and loved to sing in her church choir, and later in the Bristol Senior Choir. Mary had a green thumb, and could grow anything, but her specialties were orchids, African violets, and roses.
Her love for the Lord was Mary’s greatest passion, and she exemplified that in every way. Very active in the women’s ministry in her church, she was always an encourager to others. Mary had such a sweet disposition, always looking for the good in others. The Christian values Mary and Al instilled in their children through example and teaching have extended now to their great-grandchildren.
Her loving husband Al had a massive stroke when Mary was 58. She cared for him selflessly 24/7 for the next 21 years, till his death in 2013. After Al’s passing, her family was blessed to spend several more good years with her, traveling and sharing fun times. The last few years for Mary have not been easy, as she has suffered from a brain injury, but she never complained, or asked why. She loved her family fiercely, always, up to the very end.
In addition to her parents, Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Al; and five brothers, Russell, Charles, Dewey, Dallas, and Jim Campbell.
Mary is survived by her children, Joyce Bell and husband Bob, Peggy Glover and husband Chip, and Beth Cox and husband Daryl; grandsons, Jon Bell and wife Melissa, Michael Bell and wife Courtney, Tyler Glover and wife Emily, Nate Glover, and Andrew Cox and wife Chanley; granddaughter, Aja Hicks and husband Matt; seven great-grandchildren, Lily Mae Bell, Kenna, Reagan, and Sawyer Glover, Maisie Cox, Charley Grey, and Lincoln Hicks; and additionally, several nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held at Saturday, March 25, 2023, from 6:00–7:00 P.M. at Weaver Funeral Home. A funeral service will follow at 7:00 P.M. in the Weaver Funeral Home Chapel with Jon Bell officiating. A private family interment will be held at Forest Hills Memory Gardens.
*All obituaries are submitted by family and friends of the deceased.
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