Grace Holmes

Grace Holmes was born on September 7, 1937 to Audie Mae Nard and Railey Harris in Brewton, Alabama. Grace passed away after a lengthy illness on Friday, January 12, 2024.

Grace was raised by her maternal grandmother, Bama Nard.

Mamma, as she was affectionately known, helped Grace to build a strong Christian foundation. It was this belief in the Lord that Grace carried with her throughout her life. Bama Nard was her biggest influence and the life lessons she taught Grace molded her adult life. She was also a member of the Historic Second Saint Siloam Missionary Baptist Church in Brewton where she was baptized at twelve years of age. Grace was a 1956 graduate of the Southern Normal High School in Brewton, Alabama.

After graduating high school, Grace moved to Dayton, Ohio to live with her paternal Aunt Naomi Beard. She lived and worked in Dayton for a year before moving to Philadelphia to live with her mother Audie Mae, and maternal Aunt Rose Jefferson. On October 7, 1960 Grace married Richard Lee Holmes Sr. and from that union had four children Richard Jr., Eric, Craig and Grace Cherise.

Grace was the definition of a homemaker and spent her life creating and maintaining a warm and loving home environment for her husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved to cook, and on holidays, everyone knew that there was an open invitation to stop by and make a plate. Grace loved her family and imparted many of the life lessons that were shared with her by her grandmother.

She encouraged them to live a life that is based on a belief in the Lord, share the bounties given to you, treat people the way you would want to be treated, and always be sweet and kind. While health problems may have limited her mobility, it did not diminish her positive attitude. Regardless of the pain and discomfort, Grace always had a cheerful disposition, and looked at life as a gift from God that should not be taken for granted. She officially joined the 19th Street Baptist Church in 1987 under the pastorship of Reverend Charles Walker.

Grace read her bible daily, and looked forward to the visits and prayers from the Deacons of her church.

Grace enjoyed genealogy and would spend hours discussing her family history. She attended several family reunions in Xenia, Ohio, New York City and Brewton, Alabama. She volunteered to serve on the PTA at Anthony Wayne Elementary School and Audenried Junior High School while her children attended. She was also the unofficial carpool mother, transporting the friends of her children to and from school or wherever they needed to go. Grace lived in her neighborhood for over 60 years and helped out with the summer lunch programs throughout the 1970's. She could speak to any topic, loved politics and always said how proud she was of President Barack Obama.

Grace was the youngest of six children and was preceded in death by her parents, Audie Mae and Railey, her brothers Frank Harris and Arthur Harris and sisters Dorothy Harris, Rose Harris and Naomi Harris.

Grace leaves to cherish her precious memory: her husband of 63 years Richard Lee Holmes Sr., three sons, Richard Lee Holmes Jr. (Peggy) of Delaware, Eric Holmes (Deborah) of Arizona, Craig Holmes (Lisa) of Philadelphia and one devoted daughter Grace Cherise Holmes of Philadelphia; and bonus son Musa Agiya of Upper Darby who she loved dearly. Six grandchildren, Tyshaan Williams (Denise), Idella Fall (Ousmane), Evelyn Jenkins, Darius Lofton (Stephanie), Victoria Horton (Malcolm) and Nehemiah Reeves, 21 great grandchildren, two sisters-in-law, Millie Harris (Charles Bibbs) and Catherine Green, a special family friend, Orabelle Holman and a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, a host of friends and her 19th Street Baptist Church Family.

Lovingly Submitted,

The Family