Vicy "Jane" (Brewer) Holiday

Vicy Jane (Brewer) Holiday completed her earthly journey and passed into the loving arms of her lord and savior on September 15, 2021. 

Jane was born to James Irlin and Myra Marie (Knight) Brewer on October 22, 1931, in Ft. Smith, Arkansas.  Tragically, her father was struck by lightning when she was a child and had to be institutionalized for life.  Jane at age 5 and her older brother Curtis were left to stay with their grandparents in Oklahoma until their mother could make a new life for them.  Her mother was advised to divorce Irlin as he would not be able to live a normal life. Marie married Archie Vernon Williams in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Vernon and Marie returned to Oklahoma for Jane and Curtis to live a new life in California.  Jane loved her stepfather.  In California, at age 15 Jane met the love of her life, a spunky young Kansas born, guitar playing, and singing sailor, Teddy Lloyd Holiday. 

Ted and Jane were married at age 15 and 18 in Reno, Nevada on September 18, 1947.  Their marriage lasted 64 years until Ted’s passing in 2011.  Ted and Jane moved several times in their early years together, primarily to care for ailing and elderly family members.  They had three daughters.  Linda Ann was born in Harper, Kansas on June 6, 1949, Margie Lou was born in Ashland, Kansas on March 2, 1952, and Donna Kay was born in Hayward, California on February 18, 1953.

In 1965, Jane attended nurses training at St. Catherine’s hospital in Amarillo, Texas to become an LPN.  She was an excellent nurse but the family was uprooted again and returned to Oologah, Oklahoma to care for Jane’s ailing mother.  In 1967, after her mother’s death, the family moved to Ashland, Kansas to care for Ted’s elderly grandparents.  There they remained for over forty years where they ran a water well service and drilling company serving local farmers and ranchers.  Ted and Jane decided to sell the business and Ted went to work for the Kansas Highway Department in Ashland, Kansas.    

Jane was strong, resourceful, creative, and talented.  She was an excellent cook that did not have to measure anything, a seamstress that did not need a pattern, and an artist in all mediums.  She crocheted and did embroidery beautifully.  The family will miss her homemade pies, jellies, and pickled beets.  She canned fruit from their gardens and fruit from their fruit trees into her 80’s.  She loved to collect and restore antiques, many of which she proudly displayed in her home. 

Jane was blessed with her many friends over the years while proudly accompanying Ted when he played and sang with other local musicians in the area.  Her favorite hobbies were fishing and traveling in the travel trailer for weeks at a time.

Jane is survived by her loving daughters, Linda and husband Dan Sweeney and Donna Newton, all of Oologah, Oklahoma, her grandchildren, Shawn Sweeney of Owasso, Oklahoma, Chris and Heather Stephens of Buffalo, Oklahoma, Lyne and husband Don Johnson of Minneola, Kansas, and Jose and wife Meghan Stephens of Ashland, Kansas, great-grandchildren Kolby Klunck, Damon, Kellan, Jase, and Jenna Stephens, Shanelle and husband Jared Bryant, Jalin, Julia, and Jackson Johnson, and nephews, Danny Earl and wife Jane and Olen Curtis Jr “Odie” and wife Susie Brewer.  Jane was preceded in death by her parents and stepfather, her husband Ted, daughter Margie, grandson Bryan Allison, son’s-in-law’s Ronnie Newton and Steve Stephens, and brother Olen Curtis Brewer.