Michael Holland

Mr. Michael Altoona Holland, 49, of the Carbondale community, Dalton, went to be with our Lord, Friday, June 24, 2011, from an accident on the Holland Farm, “absent from the body and present with the Lord“.
Michael was born September 24, 1961, the precious fine son of Major General(Ret.) William Altoona Holland and Anita Merrell Holland. He was the 5th generation to live at Holland Farm and to him it was “hallowed ground”. He worked helping get up square bails of hay starting about age 10. He graduated from Dalton High School and was on the swim team for 4 years and was also in the Catamount Band. He went to Dalton Jr. College and worked at Shaw Industries and Freedom Carpets for several years. A wreck at age 15, left him with a back injury and much pain, so he eventually started to work at the Holland Farm, where he worked until his last week on this earth. He supported his dad’s 34 years of military service and received a commendation medal from the State of Georgia after Operation Desert Storm. He attended Meadowdale Baptist Church and rode in several of the their motorcycle rides that raised money for abused children and women. He was also a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, where he rode his motorcycle for them to raise money for Toys for Tots. His Great-Great-Great-Grandfather, Epharim Holland was killed in the Civil War fighting for states’ rights. He owned the farm land years ago that the commissioners just bought for the industrial park. His heart was big for helping the helpless and many times when he was with his sister he would give all the money in his pocket to homeless people on the street, buy food for them that wanted it and would take blankets and coats to those under the bridge. It was important to him for these people to feel that someone cared about them and to make them feel like a human being. He showed Gods love to many people that others might look passed. He was dearly loved by his family and many friends and he returned that love one hundred percent.
He was preceded in death by his great-grandfather, Henry Holland and his grandparents, Alton and Mary Lou Holland, Sam and Gladys Merrell; and aunt, Glenda York.
Survivors to cherish his memory are his parents, Major General(Ret.) William Altoona and Anita Holland of Dalton; sister and brother-in-law, Kaye Michele and Mike Jinright of Dalton; niece and nephew, Joanna Kaye Jinright and John-Michael Holland Jinright of Dalton; aunts and uncles, Peggy and Jim Sadler of Hixson, TN., Pat and Virgil Hewitt of Dalton, Nancy and Wendell Merrell of Hixson, TN., Amelia and James Farlett of Hixson, TN., Sam Merrell of Nashville, TN. and Hoyte Merrell of Dalton; cousins, Cynthia, Gregg, Darlene, Lesa, Terry, Jerry, Beth, Randall, David, Steve, Sheri, Chris and Bryan.
Services will be Tuesday at 3 P.M. in the chapel of Love Funeral Home the Rev. Tim Wilson, the Rev. Jacob King and the Rev. Steven Pearson officiating.
Burial will be in Swamp Creek Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Love Funeral Home Tuesday from 1 to 3 P.M.
Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Swamp Creek Baptist Church, 240 Tilton Rd., Dalton, Ga. 30721 or to SCV Mechanized Calvary, 77 Ascot Lane, Ringgold, Ga. 30736.
Words of comfort may be sent to the family at www.lovefuneralhomega.com.
Love Funeral Home, 1402 North Thornton Ave., Dalton (across from Hamilton Medical Center) is in charge of arrangements.