Donald Paul Hollister died peacefully on Thursday, January 31, 2019 in Columbia, SC after living a full life as a dedicated Christian, a loving husband, and father of three. He was 92 years of age. Don was born on May 22nd, 1926, in Chicago, IL, to Paul Livingstone and Mildred Ellingson Hollister.
As the son of an educator, he moved frequently while growing up and eventually graduated from high school in Lebanon, TN. He began studies at Vanderbilt University before being drafted into the U.S. Army during the Second World War. While in the army he studied Civil Engineering at New York University under the Army Specialized Training Program.
Afterwards he returned to Vanderbilt and completed a degree in Mechanical Engineering with Honors and later joined and served in the Air Force Reserves. He began his engineering career at the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory in Cleveland, OH, where he also met and later married Gloria Rippey, his wife of 64 years. He later worked as an engineer at Goodyear Aircraft Corporation in Akron, where his two sons were born.
In 1962 he settled with his wife and young family in Asheville, NC while working at Northrop Carolina in Swannanoa. During this time, he also welcomed the birth of a daughter. In the 1970’s he helped start a small printing/publishing firm in Black Mountain, where he worked until retirement in 1991.
During his retirement he was an active volunteer at SCORE Association and at Waste Reduction Partners at the Land of Sky Regional Council. He was a founding member of the Berean Gospel Church in Asheville, and later an active member of Temple Baptist Church for more than 20 years. After living and serving in the Asheville area for more than 50 years, he and his wife moved to Columbia, SC in 2010 to be closer to their daughter and two grandsons.
He is survived by his wife, Gloria of Columbia; two sons, David (Sherry) of Atlanta, and Daniel (Tam) of Washington, DC; a daughter, Donna (Jim) Lehman of Columbia; two grandsons, Alex and Bradley Lehman; and a sister, Mary Beth Sargent of Nashville, Tenn. He was preceded in death by a sister, Margery Hargrove of Cookeville, Tenn, and nephew, Tom Hargrove of Gallatin, Tenn. Don will be greatly missed by his family and always remembered by many friends and associates for his dedication to church, his interests in politics and proper education, his organizational skills, and his leadership through a quiet yet determined manner.
A graveside service for Mr. Hollister will be held 2 o’clock, Wednesday, February 6th at Fort Jackson National Cemetery, 4170 Percival Road, Columbia. Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to Northeast Presbyterian Church – Congregational Care Ministry in Columbia, SC or Temple Baptist School in Asheville, NC.
The family would especially like to thank the many caregivers of Life Care Center of Columbia and Palmetto Health Hospice for the compassionate care offered to Don and the family during his final months. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Mr. Donald P. Hollister please visit our Sympathy Store.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
