Elizabeth "Holly" Hollingsworth

Her name is Elizabeth, with a Z but in her most loved occupation she was known as Holly.  She graduated from Lewis and Clark with a degree in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science magna cum laude.  She received her training at Good Samaritan Hospital, The Insane Asylum (Political Correctness hadn't been heard of back then) and Emanuel Hospital where she received her Cap. Here is when Holly became her nom de plume.

Born August 1, 1932 in Portland, she lived in Damascus, with her parents Emil and Mildred Johnson and her sister Judith.  She graduated from Gresham Union High School as a "49er" (1949) and at the top of her class. With the help of her Dad and sister she planted, nurtured, hoed, picked and hauled to the cannery several thousand pounds of Blackcap berries which helped her finance her education at Lewis and Clark College.  Elizabeth was a member of the ski team and also worked on the school switchboard.  Her transportation to L & C was with two brothers who had a dinky little Renault (no heater) twenty miles in and twenty back out to Damascus every day.

There were about fifteen kids that were in high school at the same time and also attended the little Damascus Church.  Most of the extracurricular activities centered there.  They skied on a couple of the local hills and skated on a farmer's pond when it was frozen.  They had swimming parties in the Clackamas River at Carver, Charlie's Dam and at Springwater.  They filled up the back of a couple of open pickups and went to football, basketball games and school dances and parties.  Elizabeth's folks owned one of the pickups and took smaller groups to Lincoln City and Seaside.

During her last 2 years in training she accepted a ring from Roger Hollingsworth who was in the US Navy, stationed in Boston, Mass; long range and lots of letters for two years.  They both graduated in October 1954 and within ten days were married (on Halloween).  Their first (of three) apartment was two large rooms on twenty-first and NW Irving near Good Sam Hospital.  She made up our first shopping list.  Everything looked good!  Five years later there were still five cans of very strange things in the cupboard that we had purchased on that first shopping trip.

December 1955 Lisa came to stay with us and four years later Eric became a member and four years later Sarah finished off our family.  By this time they had bought a house in Milwaukie on 46th and Monroe.

Owners of the Dwyer Lumber Company were granted approval to build a hospital in Milwaukie on 32nd Street.  Rog was a member of the Milwaukie Planning Commission when the approval was given.  He talked with the administrator after the meeting and asked when they would be hiring nurses.  He quickly reviewed Elizabeth's resume then he whipped out an employment application and said he would hire her the next day.  She was the first employee of Dwyer Hospital (now Providence Milwaukie Hospital)!  Elizabeth started in the Operating Room the day of the grand opening.

She was a terrific cook and baker and managed her home with great pride.  Every year she produced a huge meal for 14 at Christmas time.  No one ever turned down her invitation.  Flowers and bushes were a favorite pastime.  She was very active in the Milwaukie Garden Club, and was elected President; twice!  She also managed a wholesale plant nursery for her family for 34 years.  When the Milwaukie JayCettes were active she participated very actively and was President one year.  She also chaperoned a young lady to the Miss Oregon pageant in Seaside (came in second).

Camping and travel were popular and she and her family got to know several high lakes in the Cascades.  She traveled with the Oregon Nursery Association to Ireland, England, France, New Zealand and Australia; plus Idaho, California, Washington and British Columbia.

She is survived by her husband, Roger of Clackamas; children, Lisa Moody of Oregon City, Eric Hollingsworth of Damascus and Sarah Hollingsworth of Clackamas; 5 grandkids and 3(and ½) great-grandkids who are scattered from San Francisco to Seattle and in between.  She loved them all as she loved life.