Gary Lee Holland

     Gary Lee Holland, 83, of Harrisburg, Il., went to be with the Lord on 6/30/22 at 10:28am in his home, surrounded by family and friends. He was born on March 16, 1939 to the late Virgil Eugene and Mary Kathryn (Sweat) Holland.

Gary graduated from Carrier Mills High School in 1957. Upon graduation, he went to Chicago to work at a factory. He soon realized that factory work was not for him, so he came back to Southern Illinois to attend college. In 1959, he joined the Army and was also a member of the National Guard.

     Following his service in 1964, with money he had saved and a loan from Shawneetown National Bank, he started his first company, Ajax Engineering in Shawneetown, IL. He began with only one lathe and a drill rebuilding coal mining equipment. In 1980, he branched out from there and started Norris City Products, which rebuilt oil and mining equipment. He then bought an existing car dealership, Humm’s Cadillac, in Harrisburg in 1984. This expanded into buying the old Walmart building and turning it into Holland Auto Mall in 1998. Gary continued his entrepreneurship in the banking world where he became the Board of Director of Harrisburg National Bank, in which he merged into Citizens Bank. He was also appointed to the Board of Directors at Jefferson Guarantee in St. Louis, Missouri. He, with others, did a proxy run and merged Jefferson Guarantee with Union Planters. He worked hard and welcomed the challenge with every business venture he embarked upon.

     Gary was a strong advocate of higher education, helping those around him to achieve their goals. While, he too, earned his Bachelor of Science at SIU-Carbondale in 1986. He also served as President of the School Board, in Harrisburg, from 1984-1988.

     Upon his “retirement”, he thoroughly enjoyed traveling across the globe and in his Prevost in the States. He had property in Florida and then in Arizona, where he spent winters golfing, horseback riding, and Razor riding across the mountains. However, his pride and joy was his farm. He loved to watch those working and playing on it with all it had to offer.

He had been a faithful member of the First Baptist Church in Harrisburg, until health put him at home with his worship.

     He is survived by the love of his life, Becky Banks of Harrisburg, IL; his brother John Holland of Carrier Mills, IL; his children: Michael Holland (Sheryl Reed) of Carrier Mills, IL; Ron Holland of Carrier Mills, IL; Stephanie Denton (Mark) of St. Charles, MO; Tony Heavener (Lisa) of Carrier Mills, IL; Brian Banks (Jada) of Marion, IL; Whitney Nicholes (Martin) of Harrisburg, IL; his grandchildren: Amy Clevenger (Lance) of Fayetteville, AK; Brooke Holland (Gabe) of Harrisburg, IL; Michael Holland of Harrisburg, IL; Celia Nelson (Eli) of Harrisburg, IL; Hailey, Chase, & Cooper Banks of Marion, IL; Frankie Leigh & Quincy Nicholes of Harrisburg, IL, Kyle Heavener of Harrisburg, IL; and his great-grandchildren: Abraham Clevenger of Fayetteville, AK; Oliver Holland of Harrisburg, IL; Gage Portee of Carrier Mills, IL; Holland Wink of Carrier Mills, IL. & Arya Banks of Marion, IL; Laedyn Heavener of Harrisburg, IL; and Raelyn Harris of Harrisburg, IL.

     Funeral services will be held at Stricklin Funeral Home, formerly Reed Funeral Chapel in Harrisburg on Sunday, July 3, 2022 at 3 PM. Mike Dover will officiate and burial will be at Salem Cemetery in Carrier Mills. Visitation will be held Sunday, July 3, 2022 from Noon until 3 PM at Stricklin Funeral Home. Immediately following burial, a fellowship will be held at the Annex of the First Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois and Heaven’s Kitchen in Harrisburg, envelopes will be available at the funeral home.

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