Darlene Mary Hollis

Darlene M. Hollis (Reardon), age 87, of Holland passed away on February 21, 2026, surrounded by the love of family and friends from near and far. Darlene was born in Jackson, MI on February 17, 1939, daughter of the late Donald G. and Emmajane Reardon (Sawyer). Darlene grew up very near to her grandparent’s farm and adored her Grandpa Louie and Grandma Hazel. She loved the farm life and was known to ride her horse to neighbors to visit, in-between feeding calves and helping with haying. Darlene lived in Jackson until the early 1990s when she moved to Traverse City. She lived there with her husband Don until 2018 when they moved to Holland MI to be closer to family. She worked in the travel industry for AAA Michigan until her retirement in 2001. This was the perfect career for her as she loved to travel and went on several trips abroad as well as within the U.S. Some of Darlene’s favorite activities included reading, quilting, knitting, cooking and playing Wordle. Her favorite local haunts were the library and used bookstore and she passed on her love of reading to her daughter and her granddaughters. She was the Wordle queen and was the first to post her score in the family group chat each morning! She was in the process of teaching Devon and Makenna to quilt and many times they requested certain dinners and recipes from her. Everyone always knew where to go for a good homecooked meal which always included dessert! Don and Darlene enjoyed traveling and camped extensively when their kids were younger traveling to many states including Maine, Virginia, and Florida. They traveled with good friends Don and Marty Miller and also spent time in Florida during the winter months after retirement. After moving to Holland, she made many good friends with her neighbors and especially enjoyed ‘Drinks in the Drive’ during the summer months as well as her monthly book club. She also loved talking to her sister-in-law Barb and they had many conversations every week about everything and nothing. Darlene’s granddaughters were the absolute love and light of her life, and she liked nothing better than hearing about their activities, talking about books and just being with them. One of her favorite sayings was ‘education is never wasted’ and was extremely proud of Devon and Makenna when they entered graduate school. She was preceded in death by her husband Don Hollis and son Craig Hollis. Darlene is survived by her daughter Kim Litteral (Blaine), grandchildren Devon Litteral (fiancé Ian Ramsay) and Makenna Litteral. She also leaves sister-in-law Barbara Mieras and several nieces and grandnieces. We let go of a remarkable woman, a loving mother, a doting grandmother, and a kind soul. As we mourn her loss, we also celebrate the love, joy, and kindness that were the essence of Darlene. We encourage you to honor Darlene’s love of learning by seeking out new knowledge and ideas and sharing these insights with others. We believe this is the best tribute to her extraordinary life. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the organizations listed below. Memorial contributions may be made to The Father Fred Foundation at www.fatherfred.org or by mail to 826 Hastings St, Traverse City, MI 49686 or Donate | READ Ottawa at www.readottawa.org or by mail to READ Ottawa, 430 E 8th St #140, Holland, MI 49423. A memorial service will be held at a later date. www.langelandsterenberg.com

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Darlene Mary Hollis

February 17, 1939 - February 21, 2026