Obituary for Gladys May Giddens (Holder)
MACON: Gladys Holder Giddens passed away on December 8, 2020, at home in Macon four days after her 103rd Birthday. She enjoyed hundreds of Birthday cards she received from church members, family and friends, but the next two days her only full sentence was “I want to go home”. Mrs. Giddens was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Dr. Howard P. Giddens. She is survived by many nieces and nephews, a multitude of friends, a host of current and former church members, and many Mercer University students she considered family.
She was born December 4, 1917, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where her father was a professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Her father, Francis J. Holder, originally of LaCrosse, Florida, (born in Santa Fe, Florida), and her mother Isabella Pierson Holder, originally of Clinton, Connecticut, predeceased her. Her father was Chair of the Math Department and School of Commerce at Mercer University. Mrs. Giddens grew up in Macon on College Street attending Alexander II Elementary School, Lanier Girls and Miller High School. She graduated from Mercer University with a B.A. in 1937. While at Mercer, she was one of the first two female cheerleaders, and was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. She also helped organize and played on the first girls basketball team, which played other teams from cities in Georgia, the forerunner of Mercer’s Women’s Collegiate Basketball Team.
Mrs. Giddens was a Math and Science Teacher in Sylvester and Ashburn, Georgia and in Kentucky after her marriage. After marrying Dr. Giddens in 1940, she complemented his pastorates as a pastor’s wife at Newcastle, Kentucky Baptist Church (1937-42), First Baptist Church of West Point, GA, (1942-47), First Baptist Church of Bainbridge, GA (1947-49), and First Baptist Church of Athens, GA (1949-67). She also complemented his work with the Georgia Baptist Convention, the Southern Baptist Convention and Mercer University where he taught starting in 1967.
In the history of First Baptist Church, Athens, Always Becoming New by Ernest C. Hynds, Mrs. Giddens’ service is described as follows: “Mrs. Giddens made important contributions to her husband’s ministry and to the overall success of the Church. She would not be described as a typical pastor’s wife of the 1950s. She drove a blue convertible that one member recalls was ‘absolutely gorgeous’. But she was active in a Woman’s Missionary Union and led in the development of outstanding programs for Girl’s Auxiliary, Young Women’s Auxiliary and teenagers in Training Union. She was recognized as a state leader in the YWAs, and she was called upon regularly by young couples in the Church to direct their weddings. She served as YWA Committee Chairwoman for the Georgia WMU in the early 1960s and as President of the Ministers Wives Conference of the Georgia Baptist Convention in the middle 1960s. One member described her as ‘very much alive, vibrant. She is a very fine lady.’ (Mrs. Giddens served on the Executive Board of the Georgia Baptist Ministers’ Wives from 1960-1965.)”
When the Giddens returned to Mercer, where they had met, Mrs. Giddens sponsored the Campus Baptist Young Women’s organization (CBYW) of which she was the founder and director. CBYW often met at her home on the campus. She and Dr. Giddens also helped reinvigorate the Baptist Student Union (BSU) when they came to Mercer in 1967. She has since been active with the BSU, Baptist Christian Ministries, and the Baptist Christian Fellowship. She has been a mother away from home for many Mercer students.
Mrs. Giddens’ home (one house, but at two different locations) on the Mercer Campus, served as a guest house for returning former students and parents, a meeting place for students, a place where students could get away and study, and a place of welcome and understanding. She received the “Equipper of the Saints Award” from Georgia BSU in 1995, the Meritorious Service Award from the Mercer Alumni Association, and a Commendation from Mercer University in 1984, all for her dedicated work with students. She was a member of Mercer’s Presidents Club; Mercer’s Half Century Club, serving twice as its President; and was a benefactor of Mercer University Press. She served as President of the Mercer University Women’s Club, and also remained active with Alpha Delta Pi, serving as President of the Macon Alumni and receiving the ADP National Sorority Memorial Service Award in 1974.
At First Baptist Church of Christ in Macon, her current church and the church of her childhood, she was a member of WMU, The Round Table and was the Mission Study Coordinator for the Missionary Lecture for many years securing missionary speakers..
Dr. and Mrs. Giddens were avid sports fans. From 1949 until 2012, Mrs. Giddens missed only six Georgia Bulldogs’ home football games. From 1949 to 2012, Mrs. Giddens missed only one Georgia-Florida game. She also enjoyed attending the Mercer basketball games and held season tickets for both UGA and Mercer football.
Mrs. Giddens was a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants, and the Elder William Brewster Society, being descended from William Brewster, the ruling Elder for the Plymouth Colony; Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century, being descended from Lt. Thomas Leffingwell who fought in King Phillip’s War; the Mary Hammond Washington Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, being descended from Lt. Col. Benajah Leffingwell, Commander of the 20th Regiment of Connecticut. (As a child she was a member of the Benjamin Hawkins Chapter, Children of the American Revolution in Macon.)
Many thanks to Susan Johansen, her great niece, Abundant Care Services, LLC (Linda Lucas, RN/BSN), and its wonderful nursing attendants who provided excellent care and helped keep Mrs. Giddens in her home and attending church, ballgames, concerts, and plays for the last six years.
Mrs. Giddens will lie in state at Gray Memorial, Friday, December 18, 2020, from 10:00am to 6:00pm for anyone wishing to pay their respects. A memorial service will be held at Mercer University's Newton Chapel on Saturday, December 19, 2020, at 11:00am with Rev. Howard E. Germany, Dr. Michael L. Ruffin, Dr. James C. Elder, and Dr. Scott Dickison officiating. Burial will be private in the Holder plot at Rose Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Mercer University, 1501 Mercer University Drive, Macon, GA 31207 for the Howard P. Giddens Chair of Christianity or the Frances J. Holder Chair of Mathematics (her father), or to the First Baptist Church of Christ, 511 High Place, Macon, GA 31201.
Gray Memorial Chapel (Scott Walston, one of their Mercer Boys) has charge of arrangements.
She was born December 4, 1917, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where her father was a professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Her father, Francis J. Holder, originally of LaCrosse, Florida, (born in Santa Fe, Florida), and her mother Isabella Pierson Holder, originally of Clinton, Connecticut, predeceased her. Her father was Chair of the Math Department and School of Commerce at Mercer University. Mrs. Giddens grew up in Macon on College Street attending Alexander II Elementary School, Lanier Girls and Miller High School. She graduated from Mercer University with a B.A. in 1937. While at Mercer, she was one of the first two female cheerleaders, and was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. She also helped organize and played on the first girls basketball team, which played other teams from cities in Georgia, the forerunner of Mercer’s Women’s Collegiate Basketball Team.
Mrs. Giddens was a Math and Science Teacher in Sylvester and Ashburn, Georgia and in Kentucky after her marriage. After marrying Dr. Giddens in 1940, she complemented his pastorates as a pastor’s wife at Newcastle, Kentucky Baptist Church (1937-42), First Baptist Church of West Point, GA, (1942-47), First Baptist Church of Bainbridge, GA (1947-49), and First Baptist Church of Athens, GA (1949-67). She also complemented his work with the Georgia Baptist Convention, the Southern Baptist Convention and Mercer University where he taught starting in 1967.
In the history of First Baptist Church, Athens, Always Becoming New by Ernest C. Hynds, Mrs. Giddens’ service is described as follows: “Mrs. Giddens made important contributions to her husband’s ministry and to the overall success of the Church. She would not be described as a typical pastor’s wife of the 1950s. She drove a blue convertible that one member recalls was ‘absolutely gorgeous’. But she was active in a Woman’s Missionary Union and led in the development of outstanding programs for Girl’s Auxiliary, Young Women’s Auxiliary and teenagers in Training Union. She was recognized as a state leader in the YWAs, and she was called upon regularly by young couples in the Church to direct their weddings. She served as YWA Committee Chairwoman for the Georgia WMU in the early 1960s and as President of the Ministers Wives Conference of the Georgia Baptist Convention in the middle 1960s. One member described her as ‘very much alive, vibrant. She is a very fine lady.’ (Mrs. Giddens served on the Executive Board of the Georgia Baptist Ministers’ Wives from 1960-1965.)”
When the Giddens returned to Mercer, where they had met, Mrs. Giddens sponsored the Campus Baptist Young Women’s organization (CBYW) of which she was the founder and director. CBYW often met at her home on the campus. She and Dr. Giddens also helped reinvigorate the Baptist Student Union (BSU) when they came to Mercer in 1967. She has since been active with the BSU, Baptist Christian Ministries, and the Baptist Christian Fellowship. She has been a mother away from home for many Mercer students.
Mrs. Giddens’ home (one house, but at two different locations) on the Mercer Campus, served as a guest house for returning former students and parents, a meeting place for students, a place where students could get away and study, and a place of welcome and understanding. She received the “Equipper of the Saints Award” from Georgia BSU in 1995, the Meritorious Service Award from the Mercer Alumni Association, and a Commendation from Mercer University in 1984, all for her dedicated work with students. She was a member of Mercer’s Presidents Club; Mercer’s Half Century Club, serving twice as its President; and was a benefactor of Mercer University Press. She served as President of the Mercer University Women’s Club, and also remained active with Alpha Delta Pi, serving as President of the Macon Alumni and receiving the ADP National Sorority Memorial Service Award in 1974.
At First Baptist Church of Christ in Macon, her current church and the church of her childhood, she was a member of WMU, The Round Table and was the Mission Study Coordinator for the Missionary Lecture for many years securing missionary speakers..
Dr. and Mrs. Giddens were avid sports fans. From 1949 until 2012, Mrs. Giddens missed only six Georgia Bulldogs’ home football games. From 1949 to 2012, Mrs. Giddens missed only one Georgia-Florida game. She also enjoyed attending the Mercer basketball games and held season tickets for both UGA and Mercer football.
Mrs. Giddens was a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants, and the Elder William Brewster Society, being descended from William Brewster, the ruling Elder for the Plymouth Colony; Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century, being descended from Lt. Thomas Leffingwell who fought in King Phillip’s War; the Mary Hammond Washington Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, being descended from Lt. Col. Benajah Leffingwell, Commander of the 20th Regiment of Connecticut. (As a child she was a member of the Benjamin Hawkins Chapter, Children of the American Revolution in Macon.)
Many thanks to Susan Johansen, her great niece, Abundant Care Services, LLC (Linda Lucas, RN/BSN), and its wonderful nursing attendants who provided excellent care and helped keep Mrs. Giddens in her home and attending church, ballgames, concerts, and plays for the last six years.
Mrs. Giddens will lie in state at Gray Memorial, Friday, December 18, 2020, from 10:00am to 6:00pm for anyone wishing to pay their respects. A memorial service will be held at Mercer University's Newton Chapel on Saturday, December 19, 2020, at 11:00am with Rev. Howard E. Germany, Dr. Michael L. Ruffin, Dr. James C. Elder, and Dr. Scott Dickison officiating. Burial will be private in the Holder plot at Rose Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Mercer University, 1501 Mercer University Drive, Macon, GA 31207 for the Howard P. Giddens Chair of Christianity or the Frances J. Holder Chair of Mathematics (her father), or to the First Baptist Church of Christ, 511 High Place, Macon, GA 31201.
Gray Memorial Chapel (Scott Walston, one of their Mercer Boys) has charge of arrangements.