Patricia Holland, wife of Elder Jeffery Holland, dies at 81
Jul 20, 2023, 3:49 PM | Updated: Sep 11, 2023, 11:41 am
Patricia Terry Holland, the wife of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, died today. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
SALT LAKE CITY — Patricia Terry Holland, the wife of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, died Thursday after a brief time in the hospital. She was 81.
Sister Holland was a former counselor in the Young Women General Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was a mother to three, grandmother to 13, and great-grandmother to five.
Born Feb. 16, 1942, Sister Holland spent her childhood in Enterprise, Utah, before moving to St. George. It was at Dixie High School that she met her future husband. They dated and corresponded in writing during Elder Holland’s mission to England. The couple married in the St. George temple in June 1963.
Sister Holland received her calling to serve as first counselor in the Young Women General Presidency in 1984. Many years later, she recalled the honor in an interview with the Church News.
“…[I]t took me to my knees,” she said. “It was really quite overwhelming.”
She served two years in that role during one of the busiest times of her life. At the time, Elder Holland served as president of BYU, while the couple continued to raise their children in Provo.
After Elder Holland became a General Authority in 1989, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1994, the Hollands traveled the globe on behalf of the church. Sister Holland became well-known for her gift of words, frequently speaking but also writing or co-writing at least 11 books.
In a statement, church officials described Sister Holland as faithful and dedicated.
She “will be remembered for her commitment to faith and service and for her love of family,” the statement said.
No cause of death was released. Funeral arrangements are pending.
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