Marian L. Holley, retired teacher, administrative assistant, church leader, and community advocate, has died at 81

Marian L. Holley, 81, of Philadelphia, retired teacher, administrative assistant, church leader, and community advocate, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, of complications from a blood clot at her home in West Oak Lane.

Reared in North and Southwest Philadelphia, Mrs. Holley earned a teaching certificate in Christian education from the Child Evangelism Fellowship and spent more than three decades introducing the Bible and Christian ministries to young students in Philadelphia and elsewhere. She led religious studies in the children’s ministry at Germantown Christian Assembly for 35 years and then taught Sunday school and vacation Bible school for Believer’s Bible Fellowship.

She ministered to young people in Jamaica on a religious mission and tutored children at Pennypacker Elementary School on Washington Lane in reading, writing, and math for years. She taught her daughter Eunice to read when she was 3.

Education was always her thing, especially after her children were born. She went to every parents event at school, and all the teachers and other parents knew her well. “She was a stay-at-home mom on paper only,” her daughter said.

She was a top student at Kensington High School, graduated in 1959, and worked as a secretary and office administrator at Community College of Philadelphia and in the dean’s office at Thomas Jefferson University until 1974. She also took classes at CCP.

A neighborhood block captain in West Oak Lane for nearly 30 years, she worked election polls, addressed countless neighborhood issues and disputes, and generally kept an eye on everything and looked out for everybody she knew. She worked with many city officials at all levels on local projects and often took her children to City Council meetings and other public events.

A longtime friend called her a “woman of faith and steadfast prayer” in a tribute, and a former colleague said: “She was always there to help whether she belonged to that ministry or not.”

She cleaned up parks, lobbied for pedestrian street safety, chimed in on controversial zoning issues, and volunteered at the Free Library. When people complained about how bad things were or became frustrated with obstacles, she liked to say: “You have to make it better.” Her daughter said: “She was quite the character.”

Marian Lorraine Hawkins was born Aug. 22, 1942, in Philadelphia. She met John Holley in the neighborhood, and they married in 1968, and had sons Sean and Timothy and daughters Elisabeth and Eunice. Her husband and daughter Elisabeth died earlier.

She played the piano, made her children play, too, and enjoyed church music the most. She liked poetry and history, and rose early nearly every morning to pray and spend quiet time with her thoughts. She took prayer requests from others seriously, kept track of those that were answered, and said often: “It is my heart’s desire that my children walk upright in the Lord.”

“She told my brothers and me every day, ‘Do your best,’” her daughter said, “and she lived it by giving others her best.”

Mrs. Holley was partially blind but still loved taking photographs of her students, family, and friends, and she developed the film, and gave away her pictures to everyone she posed. She called her photos of nature a celebration of “the beauty that God gave us.”

She also gave “fierce” and “bone-crushing” bear hugs that left recipients breathless but also “made you feel the love and joy,” her daughter Eunice said. A longtime friend recalled her “smile of love and humility.” Another friend said it was “my best experience” to know her.

“No one I ever knew said a bad word about her,” her daughter said. “She was pure in spirit.” Her family said in a tribute: “Her sweet, loving demeanor and steadfast determination will be missed by all who had the privilege to know her.”

In addition to her children, Mrs. Holley is survived by nine grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, three sisters, three brothers, and other relatives. A brother died earlier.

Services were held Aug. 28.

Donations in her name may be made to the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, Box 7512, Philadelphia, Pa. 19101.