Cecilia Agnes Holle

Cecilia Agnes Jordan Holle was born to James and Rose Ann Hamill Jordan who had emigrated from Belfast, Ireland (now Northern Ireland) and was raised in the Arlington section of Kearny. She was the ninth of their 10 children. Ceil was active in her community. She was a founding member of The Fr. Washington Club at St. Stephen’s parish and would harmonize along with her sisters in club productions. She was also proud of her work as an executive secretary at Driver Harris, as well as her tenure as a Girl Scout Leader in Kearny. 

Ceil married her sweetheart, John A Holle, a former Marine who had fought at Roi-Namur, Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima, and earned citations for bravery, including the Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. Together they attended many annual 4^th Marine Division reunions and travelled the east coast to rifle matches as John was an expert rifleman.

The couple moved to Bloomfield to start their family, and both lived lives of devoted service to their parish, St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Bloomfield.  Ceil was a daily communicant, a member of the Rosary Society, the Liturgy Committee and served as a Eucharistic minister.  When at the shore, Ceil would regularly attend Mass at St. Mark’s Church in Sea Girt.

Ceil’s entire life revolved around her family and her faith, inextricably mixed with her Irish heritage. One could not find a more devoted, supportive, and nurturing mother and grandmother.

Their Irish roots drew her family to the sea and a love of Spring Lake and Sea Girt. Favorite times were spent on Sea Girt beach and boardwalk (as recently as July 11^th), and at the lake in Spring Lake.

 A lifelong lover of Irish music, Ceil was delighted when The Bantry Boys, long time family friends, became regulars at St. Stephen’s Green Publick House in Spring Lake and she was able to see them often.

Frequent trips to Ireland to visit the family brought her tremendous joy and the beauty of Ireland never failed to enchant her.

Cecilia was predeceased by her parents, James and Rose Ann Jordan; her husband, John A. Holle, Sr.; her sons John A Holle, Jr. and adopted son Rev. Laurence P. Dolan, OFM;  siblings and siblings-in-law , James Jordan, Jr., Edward and Marie Jordan, Elizabeth Anne Jordan, John and Louise Jordan, Thomas and Margaret Jordan, Mary and George Fultz, William Benedict Jordan, John and Rose Wildeman, Ernest C. Corcoran, and Albert Holle;  nieces Rosalie Jordan and Regina Holle, great niece, Megan Jordan; nephews, James Jordan and Thomas Jordan Jr., and great nephews, Stephen Sherman and Jason Jordan.

She is survived by her children Joan Holle of Spring Lake, Dolores Holle of Sea Girt, James Jordan and Deirdre Cannon Holle of East Hanover; grandchildren, James Holle of East Hanover, and Brian and Brianne Holle of Hawthorne; her sister, Teresa Corcoran of Sea Girt; countless nieces, nephews and cousins in the U.S. and Ireland, and many dear friends.

Visitation will be on Sunday, July 23rd at Halpin-Bitecola Brookdale Funeral Home, 1284 Broad St. in Bloomfield from 4 to 8pm. The funeral will be on Monday, July 24th from the funeral home. The funeral liturgy will follow in Saint Thomas the Apostle Church, 60 Byrd Ave. in Bloomfield at 12:30pm. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Seeing Eye, PO Box 375, Morristown, NJ 07963.