Shirley Janette Evans, our beloved Mother, Grandmother, Aunt and Friend has gone home to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to bask with Jesus and to reunite with her husband Tommy Evans; her daughter Virginia Mohler, her son David Evans, her grandson David Wayne “Squirell” Mohler, her granddaughter Desema Renee “Nay” Hernandez also to be with her mom Katie Bell Tyler and father George Tyler and countless friends. She will truly be missed. We will see you again until then we love and miss you.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, November 25, 2024, at 4:00pm at West Side Baptist Church. 

We would like to say a special thank you to the people from Interim Hospice, nurses Janet and Sara and all the staff involved in her final days.

Family and friends can share online condolences at www.harper-funeralhome.com.

Roy J. Holland went home to be with the Lord on November 20, 2024.

Roy J. came from humble beginnings, born in a farmhouse near Miles, Texas on March 16, 1934, to Roy E. and Eppie Holland. He was the firstborn of four children, two boys and two girls. Roy J. attended Miles High School, graduating in 1951. While attending school in Miles, he met his childhood sweetheart Helen Louise Matejowsky. Roy J. and Louise married in 1952.

After graduation, he began working at Gandy’s Dairies, where his father worked after he left the dairy farm. Roy J’s two sons continued the family tradition and worked at Gandy’s for their first jobs. During his years at Gandy’s, he and Louise welcomed four children, two boys and two girls. The family moved to Lubbock for a few years, where Roy J. worked for DeCoty Coffee Company. They returned to San Angelo in time for the oldest child to begin school.

Wherever they lived, church was the center of Roy J. and Louise's life. As a young married couple, Roy J. and Louise attended Harris Avenue Baptist Church and Baptist Temple in San Angelo. They were also members of Faith Baptist Church in Snyder and Trinity Baptist Church in Big Spring. When they returned to San Angelo, Roy J. and Louise served at Lifepoint Baptist Church and First Baptist Church. He served as deacon at many of the churches they attended. He also taught the young marrieds Sunday School class for many years.

While staying in their mountain cabin in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, they attended a small church in Mayhill.

In 1961, Roy J. entered the agricultural business as a salesman and then, manager for Southwest Sprayer & Chemical Company in Wall, Texas. In 1969, along with his father-in-law, C.A. Matejowsky, he founded a new cottonseed company, Custom Ag Service, Inc. in Loraine. Roy J. and Louise continued living in San Angelo, while Roy traveled as a salesman, until each of their children graduated from San Angelo Central High School. Roy C. graduated in 1971, Stephanie in 1972, Janice in 1973, and Jearl in 1974. After the last child graduated, they moved to Loraine and lived there for twelve years. In addition to managing the company, he served as mayor of Loraine. While living in Loraine he learned to fly and got his pilot’s license.

By the time Jearl, the youngest, graduated from high school, Roy J. was only 40 years old. As young empty nesters, Roy J. and Louise made a move to Big Spring, where he founded Holland Cottonseed Company. The logo, a memorable one in Big Spring, featured a Dutch windmill. While Roy J. served as the company’s owner and president, his son, Jearl, worked as salesman/production manager. In 1994, he was honored by the American Cottonseed Delinters Association as the Delinter of the Year. Roy J. also served as President of the Texas Seed Trade Association. In 2000, he sold the company to a major U.S. cottonseed company, Stoneville Pedigreed Seed Company of Memphis, Tennessee. With cotton still on his mind, Roy J. enjoyed growing drip irrigated cotton on thirty acres around their country home.

As busy as Roy J. was in business, he was also an avid outdoorsman. He hunted whitetail deer, mule deer, elk, caribou, antelope, black bear, dove, quail, and pheasant. Roy J. was an excellent shot. He loved to tell stories about his trips in great detail; one of his favorites to tell was about a trip to Alaska where he hunted a black bear and caribou. He also loved to raise and train his bird dogs. Roy J. took up fishing later in life, traveling to Mexico and the Rio Grande on fishing trips with friends. Many of the animals he hunted were mounted and displayed in their home. The mounted elk was hung low so the horns would clear the ceiling, so naturally it often doubled as a drying rack for Roy J.’s shirts, until it fell off the wall one weekend.

Roy J. and Louise made a final move to San Angelo for their retirement years to have more time to travel to their cabin in Cloudcroft and spend time with family. They loved to be surrounded by their four children and their families, including eight granddaughters and two grandsons. Since, they have added nine great-granddaughters and eight great-grandsons to the family.

Roy J. is survived by his wife of 72 years, Louise; children: Roy C. Holland and wife Dianna, Stephanie Lee and husband Mark, Janice Smith, and Jearl Holland and wife Jane; 10 grandchildren: Olivia Taylor (Bobby), Joy Elms (Blake), Jessica Easterwood (Chris), Katie Jordan (Dean), Audra Warren (Jerami), Jearlyn Allen (Jeff), Dr. Cassidy Newton (J.D.), Roy Holland (Laura), Joshua Jiles (Cassie), and Hadley Acuña (Christian); sister-in-law Betty Matejowsky, and nieces and nephews.

Roy J. was preceded in death by his parents: Roy E. and Eppie; siblings: Sue Miller, Bill Holland, and Esther Marie Baker; brother-in-law Alan Matejowsky, daughter-in-law Deb Holland, and son-in-law Gary Smith.

Serving as pallbearers will be the grandchildren: Olivia Taylor, Joy Elms, Jessica Easterwood, Katie Jordan, Audra Warren, Jearlyn Allen, Dr. Cassidy Newton, Roy Holland, Joshua Jiles, and Hadley Acuña.

The family thanks the caretakers from The Crest and Gentiva for their loving care.

The celebration of Roy J.’s life will be held at Harper Funeral Home in San Angelo at 1 p.m., Monday, November 25, 2024, burial to follow at Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens.