Newton Holiday, Jr.

HOLIDAY, JR., Newton S. Age 85, died on March 15, 2012 at Centennial Medical Center. He was born on March 25, 1926 in Fort Worth, TX to Newton S. Holiday, Sr. and the former Louise Evelyn Scruggs Holiday, and later moved with his family to Nashville. He was educated in the Nashville Public Schools and attended Cameron Elementary School, Head Elementary School, and Pearl Junior High School. He graduated from Pearl High School in 1943. He received the Bachelor of Arts degree from Fisk University in 1949, and received the Master of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1956. He did further study at Fisk University, as well as at Tennessee State University. He also did doctoral study at Peabody College for Teachers, now part of Vanderbilt University. He served in the United States Army Air Corps, a forerunner of the United States Air Force, and was honorably discharged. In 1955, he married the former Ernestine Pierce of Covington, VA in a double wedding ceremony with his sister, the former Carol Irene Holiday, in the Fisk Memorial Chapel. He began his career in education as a teacher and coach on the elementary and secondary school levels in Staunton, VA and eventually joined the faculty of his alma mater, Pearl High School, where he served as an art instructor and chairman of the art department from 1953 to 1970. He later served as an art instructor and head of the art department at Maplewood High School from 1970 to 1982. He also served as an art instructor at Tennessee State University for several decades, as well as an instructor of art and photography at Fisk University. He particularly enjoyed monitoring his former students who had created successful careers as physicians, attorneys, educators, business owners, public officials, and musicians, as well as artists. He succeeded his father as the head of Triangle Chemical Company, Inc., a family owned-business established in 1932, and served as the corporate president from 1974 to 1991. A lifelong member of Howard United Church of Christ (Congregational), he also served as a member of the board of directors of the United Church of Christ (UCC) Board of World Missions. He was a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and was past president of the Tau Lambda Chapter. A member of the Northwest Civitan Club, he was a member of the Fisk University Alumni Association, the Nashville Jubilee Singers, and the Nashville Fisk Club. He was a member of the National Education Association (NEA), the Tennessee Education Association (TEA) and the Metropolitan Nashville Education Association (MNEA). He was also a member of various and art-related professional organizations. A life member of the Parent Teacher Association, he was named to Phi Delta Kappa, the premier professional organization for educators. He is survived by his wife of nearly 57 years, Ernestine Holiday of Nashville; his sons, Newton S. Holiday III, Esq. and Ernesto P. Holiday, both of Nashville; his sister, Carol Holiday Perdue of Macon, GA; daughter-in-law, Dr. Yolanda L. Holiday of Roswell, GA; grandsons, Raymon Julius Holiday and William Jerrod Newton Holiday, both of Roswell; brothers-in-law, Harold L. Perdue of Macon, GA and Richard Pierce of Chicago, IL; sisters-in-law, Jean Pierce Bryant of Columbus, OH and Waltye Johnson Rasulala of Cary, NC; first cousins, Baxter S. Scruggs, Jr. of Northridge, CA, Constance Scruggs Wilkins of El Cerrito, CA, Mariel McClendon Wardell of Detroit, MI, Merle McClendon Luck and Dr. Albert H. Luck of Los Angeles, CA, and Marie Scruggs Inniss, Esq. of Bluffton, SC; and nephew, Harold Lee Perdue, Jr. of Macon, GA; other nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, former students and colleagues, and friends. The family will greet friends on Friday, March 23rd from 6 to 8 p.m., at Terrell Broady Funeral Home, Inc., 3855 Clarksville Pike. A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 24th at 11 a.m., at Fisk Memorial Chapel, on the campus of Fisk University. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his memory to the Newton S. Holiday, Jr. Memorial Fund, Fisk University, Office of Institutional Advancement, 1000 - 17th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37208. TERRELL BROADY FUNERAL HOME, INC., (615) 244-4755. Send flowers to the service of Newton Holiday, Jr.