Nora Holliday

Nora Jane Neely Holliday was born June 30, 1915 in Springfield, MO the fifth child born to Harry and Lela Hogan. In 1918 her family moved to Denver; siblings: Frances Louise, Harold Edward, Elizabeth, Harvey Thomas and George Chalmers (all deceased). Joining the family was her maternal grandmother Janie Priscilla Mahalia Hancock Hogan and her teenaged son and daughter Udell and Alice. Mrs. Holliday's mother Lela and an aunt died the same week in 1920 from the Spanish flu pandemic. Following her mother's death, she and her siblings were raised by their grandmother a domestic worker and father a railroad chef for the Union Pacific Railroad.

Mrs. Holliday was educated in Denver Public Schools - Whittier Elementary, Cole Jr. High and Manual High School (class of 1933). She was the 1933 prom queen for the African-American students. Upon graduation, she received a scholarship from the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs to attend Colorado College in Colorado Springs but following the death of her grandmother, she transferred to Colorado State Teachers' College (now the University of Northern Colorado) in Greely earning a B.A. in education in 1937. She was employed at the American Woodman Fraternal Organization prior to accepting the position of head teacher at the George Washington Carver Day Nursery serving from 1950 - 1955 while her daughters were small. In 1955, she accepted an administrative position at the Air Reserve Record Center retiring in 1983 as a Branch Manager and recognized for outstanding service in January of that year.

Mrs. Holliday was married to Harold Troutman Bailiff (nephew of Geraldine Troutman Lightner who was married to Lawrence H. Lightner the Executive Director of The American Woodman Fraternal Organization). Unfortunately, their marriage ended in divorce, but they remained close friends and raised two daughters - Bess Lela Bailiff (Roger) Turner and Nora Jane Bailiff Robinson. Mrs. Holliday was married to Mason Holliday until his death in 1974.

Mrs. Holliday was a founding member of the Epsilon Nu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (1935), is a life member, Golden Soror and in 2014 she was honored as a Diamond Soror acknowledging 75 years of membership. She organized a women's club, The Onwego Art and Literary Club in 1939 to become part of the Denver Federation of Colored Women's Clubs, at the time the Federation was an outstanding national organization for African-American women. She served on the board of the George Washington Carver Day Nursery for more than 20 years and served on the board for the Mile-High Childcare Association. For several years she was a volunteer tutor and teacher assistant at Barrett Elementary School and was a member of the school's Central Decision-Making Committee and PTA.

Mrs. Holliday became a member The Episcopal Church of the Holy Redeemer shortly after her marriage to Harold Troutman Bailiff and served as Sunday school teacher, member of the Vestry (the church's governing board), member and President of the church's chapter of Colorado Episcopal Church Women. In 1990 she received the Inspirational Award from the Colorado State Association of Colored Women's Clubs.

Mrs. Holliday's leaves to cherish her memory daughters Bess L. (Roger) Turner, Nora Jane Robinson, Stepson John (Karen) Bailiff (St. Louis, MO); granddaughter Gwendolyn Frances Farnsworth, great granddaughters Madison, Hayden and Harper Farnsworth, nieces Lee O. Morris, Sheryl Taylor (Capital Heights, MD), Emil McCutcheon (Lancaster, CA), Adelaide (Robert) Thompson (Mitchellville, MD), nephews Neely H. Morris (San Francisco, CA), Stanley (Ernestine) Morris, Leslie H. (Anita) Lightner, Robert Thompson (Washington, DC), God daughter Sonya (Leona) Harper (LaQuinta, CA), a host of grandnieces and nephews, friends and devoted "God sons" John D. Robinson, William "Billy" Nelson, and Morgan (Patricia) Dickerson (Clackamas, Oregon).

Mrs. Holliday's remarkable life was acknowledged by the City of Denver noting June 30, 2015 Nora Jane Holliday Day in celebration of her centenary year.

Her remarkable life was acknowledged by the City of Denver noting June 30, 2015 Nora Jane Holliday Day in celebration of her centenary year.

Visitation : December 2, 2018 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Pipkin Braswell Chapel of Peace
6601 Colfax Avenue
Denver, CO 80220
(303) 996-0869

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Service : December 2, 2018 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Pipkin Braswell Chapel of Peace
6601 Colfax Avenue
Denver, CO 80220
(303) 996-0869

Funeral Mass : December 3, 2018 11:00 am

The Episcopal Church of the Holy Redeemer
2552 North Williams Street
Denver, CO 80205
303-831-8963
https://www.holyredeemerdenver.org

Interment : December 3, 2018 1:00 pm

Fairmount Cemetery
430 South Quebec Street
Denver, CO 80231

Reception : December 3, 2018 2:00 pm

Pipkin Braswell
6601 East Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO 80220