Viola Stukes Holliday, 95, a loving mother and grandmother, died Friday morning, Nov. 17, 2017.
Born March 18, 1922, in Clarendon County, she was a daughter of the late Ferdinand Stukes Sr. and Rebecca Ford Stukes. She was the stepdaughter of the late Lillie Myrtle Brunson Stukes.
She was married to the late John Holliday, and from this union produced Robert Lee Stukes and the late Ola Mae Prince.
Viola spent 29 years in Philadelphia and Newport News, Virginia, and the remaining years of her life in South Carolina. When she returned to Sumter, she attended New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church as long as her health permitted.
Survivors include a son, Robert Lee Stukes of Maryland; five brothers, Ferdinand (Karen) Stukes Jr. of Miami, Levan Stukes of Columbia, St. Perterand (Denise) Stukes of Miami, Moses (the late Celestine) Stukes of Sumter and Elisha Stukes of Columbia; and four sisters, Ann (the late Lem) Edmondson, Ruth Stukes Williams of Sumter, Sylvia (the late Norman) Berry of Annapolis, Maryland, and Henrietta Stukes of Sumter.
Viola will be greatly missed by her long legacy of seven grandchildren, Veola Magazine, William (Jackie) Prince, Alberta Prince, Robert (Teisha) Prince, Betty Ann (Raynard) Johnson, Donald Prince and Martha Prince. She also leaves behind 29 great-grandchildren and 39 great-great-grandchildren.
Viola also leaves four special nieces, Grace (Carter Lowe) Matthews, Rose (Lynnwood) Taylor, Denise Wallace and Mae (Donald) Williams; and a host of other nieces and nephews.
Family members that preceded Viola in death include a daughter, Ola Mae Prince; three brothers, Roosevelt Stokes, Elijah Stokes and Freddie Stokes; two sisters, Emma (the late Ormond) Matthews and Rosetta Stukes; and her in-laws, Willie and Lila Hodge.
Funeral services were held Friday, Nov. 24, 2017, New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, 3249 U.S. 15 South in Sumter, with the pastor, the Rev. Willie A. Wright Jr., officiating. Burial followed immediately after the services at the Stukes Cemetery, 495 Geddings Road in Sumter.
A public viewing for Mrs. Holliday was held Thursday, Nov. 23, 2017, at the Robert Scriven Jr. Memorial Chapel of the Ephriam D. Stephens Funeral Home.
Ephriam D. Stephens Funeral, 230 S. Lafayette Drive in Sumter handled arrangements, (803) 775-8911, "Where Dignity is the Watchword."
