Those who ever found themselves near or around Gerry Hollingsworth had to be prepared to be spoken to. Always very social, Hollingsworth thoroughly enjoyed getting to know people, luring them in with a bright, enthusiastic personality, no matter where she happened to be.
“She would be in the grocery store and she’d talk to people about food,” said her daughter, Gerry Lynn Guth, of Marietta. “Or we’d be trying on clothes and she’d drag people over to ask if they liked what she had on. She could talk to anybody.”
The social butterfly also loved to dance, be it in a ballroom or a square dance. In her elder years, she was active in groups such as the Cobb County Kickers, a performing dance group for women ages 60 and older. She had the self-assurance that made performing seem like second nature, said friend and current Kicker Joan O’Connor.
“She was very confident in herself and her abilities,” she said. “And you need that when you’re going to be performing in front of a group. She was always an inspiration to us in that aspect.”
Alice Geraldine Allen Hollingsworth, known by all as Gerry, of Woodstock, died Monday from complications of pneumonia at WellStar Kennestone Hospital. She was 88.
A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday at Northside United Methodist Church in Atlanta. SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society was in charge of cremation arrangements.
Dancing was hardly Hollingsworth’s only talent. She was also known by many for her matchmaking skills, having paired up several of her friends with dates that later turned into marriages. She went on to start her own chapter of the singles club Parents without Partners and basically took on the role of Cupid, said her daughter, Gail Hollingsworth Cook, of Woodstock.
“There are so many happy marriages because of her,” she said. “She just knew people and she knew who they would connect the best with. She really changed a lot of people’s lives that way.”
The foundation of Hollingsworth’s spirit was her outgoing and unique personality. While very confident, she was also hospitable and she took pride in being a Southern lady, said another Kicker member, Tillie Carter.
“I never saw her cranky or down,” she said. “She was a real Southern belle and she was always wearing a smile. She just had a lot of personality.”
According to those who knew her, Hollingsworth’s beautiful complexion — even at 88 — was almost unrealistic. She maintained a glow, which many think was a result of her zest for life and positivity, Cook said.
“Her face was uncanny,” she said. “Even at the end of her life, she didn’t have a single wrinkle in her face. That’s what happiness does to you.”
In addition to her daughters, Hollingsworth is survived by her brother, J. Brayton Matthews Jr., of New Orleans; two grandchildren and one great-grandson.
About the Author
