Holbrook, Ola Mae Martin

Ola Mae Martin Holbrook, 94, of Blacksburg, passed away on June 5, 2011. Ola had previously lived in Wilson, North Carolina for many years and made Warm Hearth Village in Blacksburg her home after her husband’s death in 1991. She lived independently at Warm Hearth Village until March 2009. At the time of her death, Ola was a resident of Kroontje Health Care Center at Warm Hearth. Ola was born on April 5, 1917 to Maynard Clice Martin and Pearle Johnson Martin in Waynesboro, Tennessee. Born the eldest of four children, Ola worked hard to keep her two brothers, Verna and Thomas J, and her sister, Mary Jane together after the early deaths of their father and mother. Ola had many jobs in her lifetime but she was most proud of her jobs as a switchboard operator for Bell South Telephone in Atlanta, Georgia, and later in the mid 1960s, as one of the first switchboard receptionists at the new Wilson Memorial Hospital in Wilson, North Carolina. She retired from Wilson Memorial Hospital in 1979. Preceding Ola in death were her husband, Hoyt J. (Red) Holbrook; her brother Thomas J. Martin; her brother Verna and his wife, Mary; as well as several brothers and sisters-in-law on her husband’s side. Ola was a loving mother, doting grandmother, caring friend, and a remarkable lady. She enjoyed life, being with family and friends, and never forgetting others’ special occasions until Alzheimer’s began taking her away. Ola literally sent out thousands of birthday, anniversary, holiday, get-well, and sympathy cards to let others know she cared about them. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Tom and Beth Holbrook of Blacksburg; her daughter and son-in-law, Debbie and Micky Williams of Marble Falls, Texas; her grandchildren, Russell Holbrook of Brooklyn, New York, and Brynn Holbrook of Blacksburg, Virginia; her stepdaughter and son-in-law, Pat and Jim Terpstra of Asheville, North Carolina; her sister and brother-in-law, Mary Jane and Herbert Glover of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; and half-brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Mona Tacker of Millersburg, Indiana. Additionally, Ola is survived by several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Valeria Martin of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee; Horace and June Holbrook of Houston, Texas; Karl and Betty Holbrook of Ranger, Georgia; Mary Jo Williams of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Myrtice and Byron Dailey of Conyers, Georgia; and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at 2 p.m. in the McCoy Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Reggie Tuck officiating. Graveside services will be held Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at noon at Evergreen Memorial Park in Wilson, North Carolina. In lieu of flowers, Ola asked that memorials be made to Blacksburg United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 931, Blacksburg, VA 24063. The family will receive friends Tuesday from noo