In Memory of Olivia Holmes (November 28, 1944 – December 11, 2023)
We offer our condolences to the family and colleagues of the Rev. Olivia Holmes who died on December 11, 2023, at the age of 79.
Olivia was born on November 28, 1944, in Wayland, MA, to F. Stacy Holmes and Olivia Stone Holmes. She was raised a Unitarian. Her parents were members of the First Church in Chestnut Hill, MA where she attended Sunday School.
In 1962, Olivia graduated from Windsor, a private girls’ school in Boston following which, she received her Certificate in French for Foreigners from the Institut Alpin Montesano/Nancy-Université, France (1963). She earned her Associate of Arts from Katharine Gibbs School, MA, in 1965 and took a job in business in New York City as an assistant to the company president. She moved on to Arm and Hammer, and after working as a quality research consultant for 10 years, she felt that her values were not those of the business world and decided to pursue public policy work. Olivia created and evaluated social programs in the areas of health, resource management, and population in the developing world. This international work enabled her to see the factors underlying the growing disparity between rich and poor. She realized that for the world to change substantially, the underlying values would also have to change. Her goal became to help create a caring community in the world and to build a culture of affirmation and possibility for transformation by becoming a Unitarian Universalist minister. With this call, she graduated with her Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School in 1991.
Rev. Holmes was ordained by the First Parish Church UU, Saugus, MA, on October 27, 1991. In 1992, she accepted a call from the UU Church of Greater Bridgeport, Stratford, CT, where she would serve until 1998. In Stratford, her ministry marked growth in membership, increased community presence, increased program activity, a strengthened sense of a caring community, and greater congregational openness. Her interim ministry at the Central Unitarian Church, Paramus, NJ (1998-2000) was characterized by her strong ministerial presence, worship skills, and effective work on organizational issues and by-laws. The congregation was energized, focused, organized, and directed by her engaged leadership, and longstanding conflicts were in many cases resolved. From 2000 to 2005, Rev. Holmes served as UUA Director of International Relations.
Thereafter, interim ministry became her special call. At the Keene UU Church, Keene, NH (2007-2008), she provided high-quality worship, broadened the congregation’s worship palette, deepened commitment to Welcoming Congregation, and increased the quality of pastoral care among the congregation. Subsequently, she served the UU Church of Concord, NH (2008-2010); the First UU Society of Burlington, VT (2010-2011); and the UU Church of Nashua, NH (2013-2014). With her interim ministry, Rev. Holmes worked to build a sensible and sturdy bridge from past to future. Her interim ministry was about healing, visioning, affirming good works, a strong and generous spirit, and commitment to change. She served as a resource and a coach to the leadership team.
Rev. Holmes served on the UUSC Board of Trustees (1994-1998). She was on the UUMA Board of Trustees, served as a treasurer from 2014 to 2017, and was instrumental in helping to establish the UUMA endowment. Furthermore, Rev. Holmes was President of the Connecticut Valley District UUMA Chapter (1995-1997); minister of the Week, Ferry Beach (1995); and Chair of the Holdeen India Program (1997). She also was an advisory board member of the UU-United Nations Office (2002-2005).
Olivia was active in the community providing her services as president of the Stratford Clergy Association. She served on the board of the Planned Parenthood of CT (1992-1998); and the Stratford Board of Education, Quality and Diversity Committee (1993-1994). Additionally, she was the Chaplain for the Temple Volunteer Fire Department, and the Cedar Point Yacht Club in Westport, CT, and she was very active in the Temple VFD Ladies Auxiliary.
Her favorite reading was science and religion and her favorite work within, and outside ministry was to design programs to empower individuals, communities, and organizations to help make the world a better place. In her spare time, she was passionate about singing choral works. For many pieces written and sung in Latin, she gladly translated them into English for the playbill/program notes.
She also was an avid sailor, skier, figure skater, gardener, wooden jigsaw puzzle maker, and wildlife/nature lover. When she lived in Norwalk, Connecticut she even took her pet goat “Billy” for walks in her neighborhood!.
She is survived by brothers Sidney Holmes (and wife Ruth) and Leonard Holmes (and wife Louiselle), nephew, Nicholas Holmes and wife Mary Alice, nieces: Sarah Tucker, Danielle Ginetro, Melissa Holmes, several grandnieces, and her beloved cat, Wiley.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. at the Peterborough Unitarian Universalist Church, 25 Main Street, Peterborough, NH, 03458. Information on a celebration after the service will be forthcoming.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the UUA Living Tradition Fund, P.O. Box 843154, Boston, MA, 02284.
Notes of condolences may be sent to Sidney Holmes, 2344 Hunt Club Drive, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48304.