Hollis Holland

A visitation will be held from 1-5 pm Sunday, February 5, 2012, at Hood Mortuary Chapel for Hollis Troy Holland, who died Wednesday, February 1, 2012, near Silverton. A private family funeral service will be held Monday, February 6, 2012, in Silverton. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, February 11, 2012, at Whalen Gymnasium at Fort Lewis College.

Hollis Troy Holland departed this world too soon February 1, 2012. Born in Long Beach, California, on March 13, 1954, Hollis and his family moved to Jonesboro, Arkansas, where he graduated high school in 1972. As a student at University of Arkansas Monticello, he met the love of his life, Patricia Lyn Steelman, whom he married on August 9, 1975. Upon their marriage, Hollis and Patty moved to Silverton, Colorado, where Hollis attended Southwest Colorado Outward Bound School, where he met the second love of his life, the San Juan Mountains. Hollis and Patty worked for the Buffalo Boy Mine before moving to Red Mountain Pass to become caretakers of St Paul Ski Lodge. He continued to work in the mining industry for several years and owned a ski touring business with partners George Crane and Tom Galbraith. He was a member of the San Juan Search and Rescue as an EMT throughout the mid-seventies and eighties; he was a director of search and rescue as well as a director of the avalanche school for several years.


Hollis and Patty moved to LaPlata County where he continued to work search and rescue, and in 1991, he was hired by Sheriff Bill Gardner with the LaPlata County Sheriff's Department. Hollis continued to work for San Juan County part-time as a deputy and worked part-time for the BLM and US Marshals during his prisoner transport tenure with LaPlata County. In 2002, Hollis volunteered for six weeks during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Throughout his career, he was awarded two Badges of Merit: one in 2000 for arresting an arsonist during the Missionary Ridge fires; one for rescuing a woman from a burning house fire in the Rafter J Community in 2010. He held several positions for the Sheriff's Department during his twenty year career, but he loved patrolling and interacting with the public as a "peace officer."

Being a "peace officer" to Hollis meant more than his position with the Sheriff's Department. He spent numerous years working with children as a coach for various little leagues and spent many hours just teaching kids how to ski and camp and fish and appreciate the beauty of the San Juans. His friendships throughout the years have meant the world to many throughout the country. It is said that Hollis made everyone feel like they were his best friend, and his smile and laugh were infectious.

When he wasn't working or volunteering, Hollis enjoyed many past times. He was an avid climber, backpacker, hiker, back country and down hill skier. He also loved river rafting, boating and skiing around many Southwest area lakes with friends and family. He organized and led several private Grand Canyon rafting trips from 1980-2008. He traveled with his family and friends, visiting Mexico and Central America, sailing the Bahamas and the Caribbean and making pilgrimages to Mile High Stadium to watch his beloved Broncos. He loved fishing anywhere, anytime and with anyone. He was an avid snorkeler. As a personal assistant to St. Nick, Hollis greeted all the children in San Juan County for several years and represented Santa on the Polar Express in Durango in Christmas 2011. Hollis lived life to the fullest and enjoyed telling some of the best stories anyone has ever heard.

Though he was committed to his job and his hobbies, it was his family that Hollis cherished most. He is survived by his wife Patty, two sons, Jake (Megan Cole) of Durango, and Nat (Michelle Brown) of Fort Collins, Colorado, two grandchildren, Nolen and Owen, one sister, Karen Glenn of Roatan, Honduras, and two brothers Kimmet Holland of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Reggie Holland of Jonesboro, Arkansas, and several nieces and nephews throughout the southern United States and Central America. He was preceded in death by his mother, Katie Daphine Holland and his father, Emmett Ondus Holland of Jonesboro, Arkansas, and mother in law, Patricia Brownlee Steelman and father in law, Leroy Steelman of Fordyce, Arkansas.

To say that Hollis will be missed is an understatement; his presence was so great that none can replace his laugh, his smile, his help and his friendships. Hollis always said that you can sleep when you're dead, so we should take that as a challenge: go out and live life to the fullest, just like Hollis did.


In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested in his name to any program that benefits victims of domestic abuse and their children.