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Katheryn "Kathy" Hollis Obituary

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Katheryn "Kathy" Hollis

Pleasant Grove, UT

April 2, 1943 - November 21, 2021

Katheryn "Kathy" Hollis Obituary

Katheryn “Kathy” Madsen Hollis passed away at the age of 78 on Sunday, November 21, 2021. She was born April 28, 1943 to loving parents, Alfred James Madsen and Verda Pauline Carter Madsen. Kathy is survived by her sister Roxie Ann Biggs, her five children, Stephen Hollis, Kristi Ann (Kelly) Peterson, Almy (Kristi) Hollis, Lisa Gay (Reed) Neubert, and Thomas Randy (Christy) Hollis as well as her 15 grandchildren. Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Sharon Almy Hollis, and her siblings Preston, Mary and Pauline.

Kathy grew up in Lakeview, Utah. She graduated from Orem High School and attended Brigham Young University. While at BYU she met her best friend, husband and love of her life Sharon Almy “Al” Hollis. After seeing each other across a dance floor at BYU, they became inseparable. Kathy married Al in the Manti Temple on November 16, 1962. They spent their early married years in Lyman, Wyoming and Kamas, Utah. They finally settled in Pleasant Grove, Utah in 1969. They resided there for the rest of their lives and raised a family.

Kathy’s life joyously revolved around her husband and children. As an accomplished seamstress, in order to help with the family’s finances, she could be found at home sewing toys or involved in other sewing projects for Renaissance Waterbeds, all while somehow taking care of the family’s five children.  As the children grew, she worked hand in hand with her husband Al, who worked as a band and math teacher. Kathy would help Al with everything from filling in gradebooks, organizing band rental instruments, sewing the marching band uniforms, or even making homemade root beer for all the thirsty band members at the end of the Pleasant Grove Strawberry Days Parade.

Kathy later supported her oldest child Stephen, who was born with Downs Syndrome, by working as a vision and hearing assistant teacher at Peterson School, a special needs school Stephen attended.  The Downs Syndrome children there recognized her, loved her deeply, and would give her special “Hellos” and hugs as she passed them in the hall. They knew who she was and that she really cared for them.

Kathy’s talents as seamstress blessed the family in many ways. She could make a basic clothing pattern into a dream custom outfit for her kids. At Halloween her children would bring home schoolwide awards for the costumes she created.  Kathy’s sewing skills also led to her creating her own upholstery business. She could repair, customize, and sew car and boat interiors or couches and chairs, making them look even better than new. She earned a reputation for perfection. Kathy would spend inordinate amounts time making every stripe line up and every diamond match perfectly. Then she would save the money from her business to be used as “family fun money”, as she called it.

Anyone who knew Kathy also knew of the special bond she had with her husband Al.  She and Al were “connected at the hip” as some would say. They were always together, whether it was while supporting their kids at concerts or ball games or on camping, fishing or hunting trips. After the children left home, Al and Kathy enjoyed time together golfing, eating out, travelling on new adventures, and socializing with friends along the way. They especially loved long hikes in the Arizona desert, boating in Alaska, and simply talking together as they rode along in a golf cart. In short, if Kathy and Al were together, they were happy.

Kathy honored her calling as wife and mother by spending her life serving and loving her family.

Funeral services will be held Friday, November 26, 2021 at 1:00 pm in the Olpin Family Mortuary Chapel, 494 South 300 East, Pleasant Grove with a viewing from 12:00 - 12:45 pm prior to the services.  Interment will be in the Pleasant Grove City Cemetery.  Condolences may be sent to the family at www.olpinmortuary.com

To share a memory or send a condolence gift, please visit the Official Obituary of Katheryn "Kathy" Hollis hosted by Olpin Family Mortuary.

Events

Event information can be found on the Official Obituary of Katheryn "Kathy" Hollis.