San Antonio - Randall James Hollaway, 80, passed peacefully on Sunday, December 27, 2015 at the North Central Baptist Hospital from pulmonary complications following knee-replacement surgery. Randy was born and raised in Waelder , TX and graduated from Waelder High School in 1954 where he excelled in basketball. Randy honed his basketball skills at Texas Lutheran University on full scholarship. An injury kept him from continuing his basketball career as a player so instead he completed Bachelor and Master Degrees in education at Sam Houston State Teacher's College so he could apply his remarkable talents as a basketball coach. His first coaching position was at Aldine Middle School in 1960. From there he went to Hambrick Middle School in 1961 and was Assistant Head Coach at Memorial High School (1961-1967), Westchester (1967-1974) and Clear Creek High School in 1975. Notable highlights of his coaching career include a state championship at Memorial and district championships at Westchester. Coach's leadership and support touched a number of young men's life and many of these student athletes are still close and treasured friends to the family. Randy received many letters from former students serving in Vietnam and many a young man came by the house looking for guidance when relationships or marriages were in trouble. Later in his life, Randy took off his coaching hat and used his congenial people skills as a licensed real estate agent to negotiated oil leases and pipeline right-of-ways throughout Texas, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Utah. While travelling and negotiating across the country, Randy savored the RV life and made their home base Canyon Lake, TX. Randy leaves his wife of 35 years, Suzanne Davenport Hollaway; his daughter, Rhonda Hollaway Epperly and her husband, Michael Epperly; his stepson Brad Davenport and his wife Leslie Davenport; his brother Joe Hollaway and his wife Sissy Hollaway; three grandchildren, Jeremy Brooks and his wife, Amanda Brooks, Julie Brooks Ferguson and her husband, Jeremy Ferguson, and Jesse Hamrin; five step grandchildren Brooke McFadden, Austin Davenport, Braxton Davenport, Rylan Davenport and Dawson Davenport; three great grandchildren, Trystan Brooks, Rylan Dunaway, and Reagan Ferguson; great step-grandchild Brileigh McFadden; his former spouse Betty Marek Connaughton; and many, many close friends. Randy is predeceased by his parents H.K. Hollaway and Myrtle Jewell Hollaway; his infant daughter Tracy Ann Hollaway; Step-daughter Kim Wells and brother Sonny Hollaway Randy was as cowboy at heart. His truck was big, his heart was big and his presence was bigger than life. He loved his horses, bolo tie and leather duster. He appreciated the great outdoors and had a wandering spirit, driving all across America, to Alaska and from coast to coast, just to see and savor the wonders of God's creation. A funeral service was held December 31, 2015 at Smith Funeral Home of Flatonia, followed by a brief gravesite service at the Waelder Cemetery. A reception and celebration of Randy Hollaway's life was then held at Waelder Baptist Church in their Fellowship Hall. The family extends special thanks to the AICU staff at North Central Baptist Hospital, and Trey in particular, for their dedication and effort to provide comfort to our husband and father.
Visitation
Wednesday,
December 30, 2015
Funeral Service
Thursday,
December 31, 2015