Ruth Phyllis Holmes

Phyllis Phlegar Holmes, age 95, of Johnson City, passed away on November 12, 2014. A native of Johnson City, she was the daughter of the late W. C. Phlegar and Georgia Seaver Phlegar. She was preceded in death by her husband, James M. Holmes, and a brother, Donald Reeve Phlegar. Mrs. Holmes was Assistant Professor Emeritus at East Tennessee State University, where she had taught in the English Department before retiring in 1979. Prior to that, she had taught in the Johnson City school system, then at Pontiac High School in Pontiac, Michigan, where she taught radio speech before returning to Johnson City to teach at Science Hill High School. She graduated from East Tennessee State College in 1940. The following year she earned the Master of Arts degree from Boston University, and later did graduate work in radio speech at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Mrs. Holmes was a life-long member of Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church where she had served in numerous capacities, among which were Sunday School teacher, circle chairman, president of United Methodist Women, member of the Altar Guild, member of the Administrative Board, and trustee of the church. She was a member of the Solan Gentry Sunday School class. Mrs. Holmes was a member and had served as president of several civic and historical organizations: the Sarah Hawkins chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, the Johnson City Monday Club, and the Junior League of Johnson City. She was a member and former president of the House and Garden Club and the Tuesday Book Club. She had also served as president of the Junior Monday Club and the Johnson City Education Association. In earlier days she had also been active in the Johnson City Community Theater. After her retirement from the University, Mrs. Holmes was a volunteer patient representative at the Johnson City Medical Center Hospital for more than twenty years. She was also a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and taught reading in the Adult Literacy Program. She loved traveling and had visited many countries around the world. Survivors include her daughter, Phyllis Holmes Quarin and her husband, Al Quarin, Germantown, Tennessee; her sister, Joyce Phlegar Fava and her husband, Col. James A. Fava, Ret., Sevema Park, Maryland; two grandsons, Michael Quarin, Nashville, Tennessee, and David Quarin and his wife, Sara Quarin, Cumming, Georgia; two greatgrandchildren, Isaac Quarin and Eliana Quarin; and several nieces and nephews. For those who wish, donations may be made to the Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church, 201 E. Market Street, Johnson City, TN 37601. The family will receive friends in the reception hall at Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church following the Celebration of Life Service. The Celebration of Life Service will be conducted on Monday, November 17, 2014 at 3:00 pm in the church sanctuary. Ministers conducting the service will be: Rev. Michael Lester, Rev. Mark Goodin and Rev. Doug Grove DeJarnett. A committal service will be held on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 at 11:00 am in the Monte Vista Memorial Park. Honorary pallbearers will be: John Taylor, Bill McGillen, Tom Mooney, Bill Hawkins and Dana Grist, also the Solan Gentry Sunday School Class.