Lottie Mae Holden

On the morning of November 20th, 2021, Lottie Mae Holden of Cordell, Oklahoma died peacefully in her home. She was 96 years old.

Lottie Mae was born on January 19, 1925 in Fairmont, North Carolina to Robert and Agnes Hayes. A graduate of Fairmont High School in 1941, Lottie Mae left home to attend the Baptist Memorial School of Nursing in Nashville, Tennessee. Lottie Mae completed her studies in 1945, beginning her 50+ year career as a Registered Nurse.

Lottie Mae married William Sam Holden Jr on January 6th, 1946. Together they raised two children, Billie Ann and William Sam Holden III “Sammy.” Lottie Mae and Sam returned to Cordell in 1964, building their home on Ella Street where Lottie Mae lived until her passing.

Lottie Mae is preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 61 years Sam Holden; son Sammy; great-grandson Rhett Rodriguez and brothers William Allen Hayes and Robert Grady Hayes.

After working in multiple different hospitals before settling back in Cordell, Lottie Mae joined the Cordell Memorial Hospital as a Registered Nurse in 1964, shortly thereafter taking the role of Di rector of Nursing. June 30th, 1986 was declared “Lottie Holden Day” by the mayor of Cordell in honor of her retirement. When the hospital reopened in 1989, Lottie Mae returned to the role of DON until retiring for the second time in 1991. Lottie Mae continued to work occasional shifts at the hospital until November 1998, totaling 52 years of overall service to her hospitals and communities.

Besides rarely missing an episode of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy, Lottie Mae enjoyed reading and journaling. Lottie Mae left her family a vast collection of pictures and written treasures of scriptures, hymns and overall wisdoms she acquired throughout her life.

Lottie Mae also had a passion for gardening. More often than not you would find her outdoors tending to the flower gardens that bordered her life on Ella Street. Lottie Mae received honors such as “Yard of the Week” and in 2005 Lottie Mae was featured in an article detailing her elaborate collection of plants and flowers not many others in Western Oklahoma could boast.

Lottie Mae is survived by her sister Alice Faye; daughter Billie Ann Rodriguez; grandchildren Tara Lyon, Tim Rodriguez and wife Crystal, and Tiffany Statton and husband Scott; greatgrandchildren Lauren Brennfoerder and husband Ian, Kaegan Cullison and husband Ryan, Rylan Redding and wife Alexis, Mitch Statton, Emilee Redding, Maelyn Smith, Titus Bagley, Maci Mae Rodriguez, and Ellie Grace Statton; great-great grandchildren Penelope, Sheppard and Genevieve Brennfoerder; four nieces; three nephews; four great-nieces and five great-nephews.