Mary Holden Obituary

Mary Jean Holden, born April 10, 1942, passed away from dementia in Mt. Pleasant, SC on December 17, 2025. She was predeceased in death by her husband Richard ("Rick") Holden in November 2019.

Mary Jean was born to Robert and Hilda Gunn in Macon, GA and was raised in Jacksonville, FL. She graduated from what was then called Robert E. Lee High School in 1959 and then attended Florida State University for 2 years. She married her first husband, Donald W. Adams, who she met in high school, in 1961. They eventually began a family in Kentucky, where she also completed her undergraduate degree at University of Louisville. In Louisville she made lifelong friends she cherished and stayed in touch with for many years.

In 1969 Mary Jean moved with her family to Carrollton, Ga, a town she described as, "my favorite place to live." She loved raising her children in Carrollton, volunteering at the Carrollton Junior Woman's Club, and being a member of the First United Methodist Church. She specifically enjoyed attending "the Seekers" Sunday school class where she felt intellectual curiosity was encouraged in a religious context. She loved socializing with the friends she made there, going camping with them, etc.

In Carrollton, Mary Jean also did what so many other women in the 1980's did, she pivoted from being a volunteer and stay-at-home parent to becoming a working woman, a school teacher. She began in the Bowdon school system while also completing her Master's in Education from West Georgia College (and a "6 year" degree). Though she was sad to leave Bowdon, she was very proud when she became a 6th grade teacher at Alabama Street School. 

When she and her first husband divorced, she faced her fears and made a new life for herself, building new friendships, singing in the community chorus, riding bikes, dancing, and other new adventures. She met and fell in love with her soon to be second husband. She moved to Atlanta to be with fun-loving Rick and worked at Rainbow Elementary School in Dekalb county. They decided to live outside of the city in Cumming, Ga in a much more rural setting where she appreciated living near cows, she said. She was a teacher at North Forsyth Middle School and attended Cumming First United Methodist Church where she once again made many sweet friends.

After retirement, Mary Jean and Rick spent more time traveling. She took photos and made notes of everywhere she visited, realizing a dream she always had, traveling the world. 

In addition to her husband Rick, Mary Jean is predeceased by her parents Robert and Hilda Gunn, brother Robert "Bobby" Gunn II, and her son-in-law, Allen Somerlot, who died 12 hours prior to her on December 16, 2025. She is survived by her sister Gail McGee; children Lisa Adams Somerlot, Chris Adams and wife Helen Adams, and Laurice Adams and husband Robert Miller II, and their father, Donald Adams; and step-daughter Heather (Ken) Salter; grandchildren Grace Hale, Eli Adams, Rosalynde Miller, Ayla Salter and Violet Salter; and nieces and nephews that meant so much to her.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at Somerby Mount Pleasant, especially the memory care center staff. Thank you for taking such kind care of our mother. We are eternally grateful.

The family will have a private memorial. In lieu of flowers, please do spend money on travel or whatever your dreams are. Mary Jean would want this.