Our beloved friend, Janet Holloman (wife of MOBILITY Editor and VP Jerry Holloman) passed away on Thursday, March 25, 2010 after courageously battling ovarian cancer for more than a year. She was 61.
Janet communicated a message to every life she touched: “Live. Love. Laugh.” It was emblazoned on the quilted 
hanging she made for the chemotherapy unit and baked into cookies for the oncology nurses and her fellow patients; artfully positioned on the angels that she crafted and gave to loved ones this past Christmas; stitched into the flawless creations that came from her sewing room, and affectionately communicated in each move she made and all of the conversations she had.
She was a petite, pretty, charming, happy woman with a personality three times bigger than her tiny frame, a great laugh, a beautiful and constant smile, the kind of heart that kept her looking out for others even as she grew more ill,
an incredible artist who worked with realism and whimsy in equal parts, and creativity that knew no bounds - whether she was developing lesson plans for the children that she taught, or donning a man’s suit and dancing on a video to amuse her medical team and other patients because Jerry told her that, sans hair, she looked like “the Six Flags guy.”
Those of us connected to Worldwide ERC, whether on staff or in the industry, knew immediately that it wasn’t enough for Janet to be in our presence just as “Jerry’s wife.” She numbered many Worldwide ERC members among her close pals; followed their lives and loves; disappointments and triumphs; lent and borrowed books she liked; stuffed conference kits and kept morale high when our spirits were flagging; hung out with, played pranks with, and heartily enjoyed our members and conference attendees; and took each and every one of Jerry’s staff members under her wing so that she could be a second mom to young professionals just starting out. She was fun and funny, interesting and sweet, smart and gracious, and possessed everything you look for in a friend. She was exceptional.
Janet was all about building a life full of joy and beauty, love and laughter, good food and family moments; making memories that would outlive her; learning what made her and Jerry’s kids - Jennie and Jamie – tick, and making sure that they were able to grow their personalities and talents into adulthood with confidence and contentment; welcoming Jenny’s husband Keith and Jamie’s wife Jill into the fold; and delighting in the magic that came with every grandchild as Jamie and Jill became parents to Bella, Alexa and Austin. The grandkids loved their “Meme,” and she thrilled them at every turn.
The relationship between Jerry and Janet goes back to their teenage years – they met in high school in Alexandria, Virginia. Just one class apart, they made a deep and lasting connection that grew stronger over time, and in light of Janet’s illness, even outshined the commitments they made when they married. They were a great pair – not only did they look like they stepped off the pages of a catalogue – she the cute brunette and he the handsome Marine – they were truly a loving and respectful team, as parents, as partners, as friends and family members. The Hollomans were always a “two-fer” – and what a bonus to have them both! We loved it that Jerry shared his amazing wife with us, and we were blessed to welcome Janet into our midst as if she had always belonged there. When it came time for Janet to live out her final days, Jerry did, in his words, “the hardest thing I will ever do.” And he did it magnificently - he was her constant companion, her comfort, her caretaker, her lifelong love.
We are defined not by the way we die, but by the way we live. Janet used every single moment of her too-short life to make the world better for her family and friends, and she met the challenges of her disease with the kind of heroism that taught everyone around her life lessons. So for Janet, for all of the brightness and love that she brought us, this final thought from French novelist Marcel Proust, who said “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
Janet was committed to better education about screening and early detection of ovarian cancer, and the Foundation wishes to share in Janet’s desire to promote learning on this deadly disease.