Nancy Jo Holloway

Nancy Jo Holloway, a beloved and remarkable woman, departed this life on November 29, 2025, in Columbia, Missouri.

Born on October 20, 1942, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Doris and Joseph Melise, Nancy was the oldest of three sisters. She grew up in Farmington, Missouri, surrounded by an extended, loving, and supportive family who instilled in her a joy for life, a strong sense of responsibility, and a deep respect for education.

After graduating from Farmington High School in Farmington, Missouri, Nancy earned both her undergraduate degree and her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Missouri in Columbia. Nancy was a lifelong learner with an innate curiosity. At the time of her death, she had completed all of her coursework and was working on her PhD dissertation at the University of Missouri.

Guided by her compassion and commitment to serving others, Nancy chose a career in public service. She interned and then worked at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas, served in the Indian Health Service in Washington State, and later moved to Alaska, where she met and married the love of her life, Collious Lee Holloway. Eventually, they returned to Columbia, Missouri, where Nancy worked as Executive Director of Transitional Housing, a nonprofit organization providing support for people with mental illness.

Nancy was a devoted wife, mother, aunt, and sister. She and Collious created a loving and nurturing home where they raised five children, fostered many others, and created fond childhood memories by hosting “great cousin campouts” for a generation of cousins.

Nancy Jo Holloway was preceded in death by her son, Alex Melise-Holloway (Columbia, Missouri); her husband, Collious Lee Holloway (Hartsburg, Missouri); her stepdaughter, Sheila Holloway (Anchorage, Alaska); her stepson, William Holloway (Fulton, Missouri); her parents, Joseph Melise and Doris Melise (Farmington, Missouri); and her grandparents, John F. O’Bannon and Naomi Edith O’Bannon (Farmington, Missouri).

She is survived by a large and grieving family, including her sisters, Patricia Melise O’Bannon (Vancouver, Washington) and Mary Alberici (Farmington, Missouri); her children, Lauren Lewis (Atlanta, Georgia), Desiree Holloway (Columbia, Missouri), Roberto Holloway (Layton, Utah), Charles Holloway (Hartsburg, Missouri), and Michael Holloway (Ota City, Gunma, Japan); her daughters-in-law, Rebecca Holloway (Fulton, Missouri) and Nicole West (Columbia, Missouri); her grandchildren, Malcolm Barnes (Atlanta, Georgia), Shane Bryant (Laramie, Wyoming), and Mira Kuni (Helena, Montana); and her dear nieces and nephews, Hannah Bingaman (St. Louis, Missouri), Joan Hurst (Farmington, Missouri), Seth Mayer (Largo, Florida), Edith McClintock (Portland, Oregon), Saul McClintock (Miami, Florida), and Kamala Griffith (Vancouver, Washington).

Recently, Nancy became part of the loving spiritual community of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia (UUCC). Her memorial service and Celebration of Life will be held at the UUCC, 2615 Shepard Boulevard, Columbia, Missouri 65201 on March 21, 2026, beginning at 9:00am. Family and friends are warmly invited to gather in love and gratitude to honor a life well lived.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to National Public Radio (https://www.npr.org) and or the Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia (https://uucomo.org).