Mrs. Willie Nadean Holmes, daughter of the late John C. Woods and Ovella Stinson Woods, was born in Statesville, N.C., on November 11, 1939. She was known as Nadean by friends and affectionately called “Nat” by family. Nadean entered into eternal rest on Monday, August 17, 2020, at Gordon Hospice House in Statesville following an extended illness.
She attended Poplar Branch School from grades 1 through 6, and then attended Morningside High School. At an early age, she joined and was baptized at St. John Baptist Church in Poplar Branch under the leadership of her Pastor, the late Rev. Wilson W. Lee.
Nadean was united in marriage to James (Jimmy) Holmes, who proceeded her in death. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two sons, infant Brian Holmes and Alfred Bernard Holmes, two sisters, Margaret Louise Howell and Mae Lois Morrison; and a baby brother, David Lawrance Woods.
In 1961 Nadean moved from Statesville, N.C., to explore the world and went to Corona, N.Y. Being raised in the church, Nadean rededicated her life to Christ and joined Open Bible Church, where she served faithfully in the ministry under the leadership of Pastor Moore. In 1994 Nadean felt the need to return home to North Carolina so she returned to Statesville. Being a woman of faith and a godly woman, she felt the need to find a church home. God led her to Fellowship Tabernacle, where the late Apostle Robert Taylor was her Shepherd.
Nadean leaves to cherish the memory of her life a sister, Joyce Madalene Brown of Statesville; two sons, Michael Woods of Statesville and Walter Woods of Brooklyn, N.Y.; five daughters, Stephanie (Fred) Gibson of Statesville, Cynthia (Kevin) Holmes of Statesville, Adrian Miller of Statesville, Alecia (Jerome) Latimer of Salisbury, and Rhonda Holmes of Charlotte; 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, one great great-grandchild; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Celebration of Life Services will be conducted Saturday, August 22, 2020, at 11 a.m. at The Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Home. Dr. Lonnie E. Gray will officiate and burial will follow in the Belmont Cemetery.
General public viewing be will held on Friday, August 21, 2020, from 3 until 7 p.m. and will resume on Saturday, August 22, 2020, from 9 a.m. until the funeral home.
There will be no public visitation. Unfortunately, with the COVID-19 pandemic, Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Home, along with other funeral homes across the country, has been issued a mandate to limit the number of family and/or friends at funeral services. You can only enter the funeral with a funeral pass, which will be given to the family.
Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Home is serving the Holmes Family.