Maryan Elizabeth Richardson Holt, age 84 of Burnsville, passed away Saturday, March 20, 2021 in Burgaw, North Carolina.
A native of Valdosta, Georgia, she was the daughter of the late Ralph and Anna Wesick Richardson. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Floyd Holt, who died in 1995.
Surviving is her son, Michael Odell Holt of Salisbury; two daughters: Marie Holt Radcliff, and husband Mark of Burgaw, Julie Holt, and husband Paul Labadie of Raleigh; three grandchildren, Tyler and Tori Radcliff, and Charlene Holt.
Maryan, the only child to doting parents had humble beginnings, born in the back of her parents’ gas station, where they lived for 16 years. Growing up at the “station”, and interacting with customers, she became a “people person” at a very young age. Throughout her childhood, Maryan and her parents often travelled to New York to visit her maternal grandparents who had immigrated from Estonia and Finland. She was very bonded with her cousins and enjoyed their close relationships as well as numerous friends in high school, as her sometimes exasperated teachers referred to her as the “social butterfly”.
Maryan graduated from Valdosta State College with a bachelor’s degree in social work. While working towards her MSW, she took an internship in Miami, FL and later worked in Leesburg, FL. It was there that she met a handsome visiting social worker from North Carolina, and they soon became known as Mr. and Mrs. Child Welfare.
Maryan and Floyd shared a passion for serving the community and contributed and volunteered in many capacities. She loved working as an adoption social worker as she juggled work and her own children’s many activities. Floyd’s job required the family to move to Conover, Marion, Winston-Salem, and Cary until the family settled in Burnsville in 1978. She worked briefly as a truancy officer, before becoming a juvenile court counselor. Maryan again excelled at advocating for youth and found great satisfaction from the relationships that were formed with her families and coworkers.
After the death of her husband and with an empty nest, Maryan flourished as a retiree. Always with a sense of adventure, she became an avid traveler and experienced Italy, Spain, Costa Rica, China, Holland, Austria, Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, Estonia, and Finland. She took numerous cruises and beach trips with her family and crisscrossed the U.S. several times with her girlfriends (golden girls). She loved learning about her and Floyd’s family history through genealogy and thoroughly researched the lineages and provided valuable information to her loved ones. She loved learning and she was a voracious reader.
Above all, Maryan loved living in Burnsville and the amazing friends and opportunities that this small town offers. Maryan was very active in the Lion’s Club, organizing countless fundraisers for the cause. She cultivated her friendships by attending Sunday School at First Baptist Church, socializing with her exercise buddies, and gathering with the Mad Hatters. She had been very active with the American Legion and was a great advocate for mental health services.
Maryan’s bright and unique personality afforded her many opportunities to positively influence the people who were fortunate enough to know her. Maryan’s persona radiated enthusiasm and joy of life. Her own happiness was a result of seeing others happy and she achieved this through her generosity and her love to help others. She once shared that she believed that the “3 As” (Attitude, Activity, Adjustment) guided her to age gracefully. By remembering Maryan’s life, we hope that she will continue to inspire others to love life and love others to the fullest.
Funeral Services will be held Thursday, March 25th in the Chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home at 7 p.m. The family will receive friends and loved ones two hours prior to service time. Reverend Tommy James will officiate. Graveside Services will be held Friday, March 26th at 2 p.m. in the Rowan Memorial Park in Salisbury.
Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to The Burnsville Lions Club at P.O Box 306, Burnsville, NC 28714.
Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home is respectfully serving the Holt family.
To send an online condolence please visit: www.holcombebrothers.com
