Marilyn Ann Holly

Marilyn Johnson Holly, age 91, passed away on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.  She is survived by

her four children, Dona Morgan (husband Mike) of Hurst, Texas, Dora Fuselier (husband

Gregg) of Nacogdoches, Texas, Leona Thames (husband Mike) of Fredericksburg, Texas and

Ryan Johnson (wife Charlee) of Fort Worth, Texas. She is also survived by six grandchildren

and seven great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, three husbands, two brothers, one sister and

numerous brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

Marilyn was born on a wheat and cattle farm near Lucas, Kansas and graduated from Lucas

High School.  After high school she moved to Salina, Kansas to attend beauty school. In

Salina, she met Lester Johnson on a blind date. They were married and had four children. In

1968, the flour mill where Lester worked closed so the family moved to Fort Worth. In 1985,

after the children had all left home, Marilyn and Lester moved to Joshua, Texas where they

planned to live out their retirement. However, Lester died of lung cancer before he could

retire. About one year after Lester’s death in 1992, she was introduced to Martin Hearne by

her pastor at a church function. They were married in 1996 in Maui. Martin was a Navy

veteran and they traveled extensively visiting friends and family until his death in 2001. Five

years later, in 2006, she met and married her third husband, Les Holly. They lived in the

Cleburne area until his death in 2012. She remained in the Fort Worth area until August of

2022, when she was moved into the Willowbrook Nursing Home in Nacogdoches.

Marilyn had a great vitality for life, a contagious laugh, and a feisty spirit. She loved sewing,

quilting, gardening, going to garage sales, and adopting dogs. Marilyn opened up her heart

and home to many people, including relatives and refugees, and sponsored a number of

Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees. She was an active member of St. Matthew’s Lutheran

Church in Fort Worth and First United Methodist Church in Joshua.

A celebration of her life will be held Sunday, Apr. 2, at 3 pm at Saint Matthew’s Lutheran

Church at 5709 Wedgewood Drive in Fort Worth. In lieu of flowers, the family request that

donations be made to The Alzheimer's Association in her name.

The family has specifically asked that no Easter Lilies be sent to the church since the pastor

is very allergic to them.