Joyce Holder

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Gwendolyn Joyce Forehand Holder, 90, of Conway formerly of Jonesboro passed away Saturday, August 17, 2024. She was born February 28, 1934, in the Clear Lake community of Lawrence County, the youngest child of Almus and Cratie Forehand. Joyce attended primary school at Clear Lake and graduated from Walnut Ridge High School as salutatorian. She attended Arkansas State College where she was a Student of Distinction her freshman year. After two years of college, she married Edward Holder to whom she was married 69 years. She lived most of her life in Jonesboro working for the Social Security Administration.

She was a member and pianist of the First Freewill Baptist Church in Jonesboro for 55 years and most recently a member of Woodland Heights Baptist Church in Conway. She spent her time passionately pursuing genealogical research on the Forehand and Holder families. She has written two books, one historical fiction about her grandmother called “Mattie’s Story” and a genealogical reference book, “Holder, Forehand, and Allied Families” which is housed in the Daughters of the American Revolution Library in Washington D.C.

Her grandchildren cherished time with their Nonnie and were often her partners in crime. She made each one feel like they were THE special grandchild. Her wit and intellect were unmatched. The grandchildren never missed an opportunity to learn from her and to demonstrate all the shenanigans she carefully taught them.

Survivors include daughters, Sharon Holder Reynolds (Bob) of Conway and Beverly Holder Shatzen (Herb) of McLean, Virginia; six grandchildren, Sara Hinchey Siems (Tyler), Malia Hinchey Davis (Zach), Stephen Hinchey (Amy), Ellen Shatzen Johnson (Erik), Jill Shatzen Kerr (Preston), Hannah Shatzen Lockhart (Will), three bonus grandchildren, Bobby Reynolds (Christine), Billy Reynolds (Mae), Chris Reynolds (Erica); seven great grandchildren, seven bonus great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Her parents, sister Liberty Pulliam, and brother Relton Forehand preceded her in death. A quote from her book “Allied Families” sums up her life, “Millions of words may be written about our ancestors and our relationship to them, but whether they were ushers in a queen’s palace or fleeing their homeland because of the ravages of war, or perhaps religious persecution, when all is said and done, the only relationship that matters is that God is our Father and his son, Jesus the Christ is our Lord and Savior”.

Funeral services will be Monday, August 26th at 10:30 am in the Emerson Memorial Chapel in Jonesboro with the Reverend Kevin Barnett officiating. Burial will follow at Lawrence Memorial Park Cemetery in Walnut Ridge. Visitation will be from 9:30 – 10:30 am prior to the service. The funeral service will be livestreamed. To view, go to emersonfuneralhome.com and a link will be available on Joyce’s obituary page. For a lasting memorial, Joyce would say, “search your roots”.