Arvis Cook Holt
101, Columbia
Graveside services were held at noon on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in Woodlawn Cemetery for Arvis Cook Holt, 101, of Columbia, who died peacefully on Friday, Feb. 2, in Columbia. Rev. Darrin Powell officiated at the services. Wesley Lee was the vocalists. Visitation was held from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8, at Colonial Funeral Home. 
To many, she was fondly known as Mama Holt. She was born the youngest of five children in Attala County to Frances Elizabeth Harvey Cook and Thomas Lafayette Cook. She graduated in 1940 as the salutatorian from West High School. Her 42-year banking career began in the bookkeeping department at Lafourche National Bank in Thibodaux, La., where she retired as a branch manager. After moving to Columbia in 1977, her banking career continued at Citizens Bank. As a teller, she enjoyed her time there and considered them family. She was the oldest living member of East Columbia Baptist Church where she attended for many years. After her retirement, she spent time traveling with family and friends to all 50 states. She was an accomplished seamstress, always ready to create anything her family needed and loved seeing the finished products worn. In her later years, much of her time was spent making jewelry, coloring and doing word searcher. Up until the last few months, Mama Holt could recite all 82 counties of Mississippi, that she learned in fifth grade. In May 2023, Older American Month, she was recognized by Governor Tate Reeves during a ceremony at The Grove.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Doyle Chaplin Holt; parents and siblings.
Survivors include her daughters, Sarah Doylene Holt Kienel (Bob) and Sylvia Kay Holt McElroy (John); grandchildren, Doug McElroy (Kim), Jeff Foster and Beth Mock (Lee); great-grandchildren, Jonathan McElroy (Lacey), Alex Foster, Sam Foster (Chelsea), Drew McElroy, Mary Holt Dodd (Cameron) and Cannon Mock; great-great-grandchildren, Landry Kay McElroy and Seeley Jane McElroy.
Pallbearers were Doug McElroy, Jeff Foster, Lee Mock, Jonathan McElroy, Drew McElroy, Cannon Mock and Cameron Dodd.
Please join us in remembering Arvis Cook Holt by visiting our memorial at www.colonialfuneralhomes-ms.com. Through this site, we invite you to view cherished photos and videos, add a memory, and share the obituary with others via social media and email.
