Patti Johnston Holliday

Patti Johnston Holliday, 55, of Hatchechubbee, AL, and Atlanta, GA passed away Saturday, May 2, 2015 after a long hard fight with late stage ovarian cancer. Patti was born August 3, 1959 to James “Jimmy E. Johnston, Sr. and the late Dorothy Leigh Fuller Johnston; she was the youngest of three children. Patti had fond memories and lots of funny stories of her childhood in Hatchechubbee, AL. She loved having her Dace and Pappy right down the road. Most importantly, her greatest happiness was her boys. She was a wonderful and proud mother of three amazing boys, Steven Tompkins, Chadwick Tompkins, and Garrett Holliday. They were her life and brought her the greatest joy. She was so proud of each of them and loved attending their ball games and choir events. She also claimed Dean Bolden and Felix Vayner as two of her boys. They accompanied Patti and her boys on many vacations, and Felix celebrated Christmas at her house on multiple occasions. She was also a doting grandmother to her two beautiful granddaughters, Blayne and Ashlyn Tompkins. The girls loved making cookies and coloring pictures for their Mimi. They brought her great joy and could always make her smile. She was a gracious Southern Lady and will be sorely missed by her family and friends, most especially, Mr. Larry, Ms. Brenda and Jan Fenner. Her favorite place where she found the most peace was at her cottage in the Bahamas with her dog, Maggie, and her devoted and loving companion, Mr. Larry. She loved watching and listening to the waves break on the beach in her beloved island of Eleuthera. She had made great friends on the island but considered Paul, Jennie, and Richard Petty her Bahamian family. Other than her mother, she was preceded in death by a son, G. Steven Tompkins, her sister, Robin Johnston Smith, and a brother, James “Jim” E. Johnston, Jr. She is survived by her father, James “Jimmy” E. Johnston, Sr. of Hatchechubbee, AL, two sons, J. Chadwick Tompkins and his fiancAC., Lisa Giambrone of Ft Collins, CO and Garrett A. Holliday and his girlfriend, Alex Fitzpatrick, of Atlanta. GA; along with two granddaughters, Blayne Tompkins and Ashlyn Tompkins, and numerous other loving family members and caring friends. The family wishes to express their deep appreciation to Drs. Horowitz and Read for their amazing skill and care, and to the nurses at Emory Hospital for their love and expert attention. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Emory University Department of Oncology or the American Cancer Society would be greatly appreciated. Graveside services will be held 1:00 pm CDT / 2:00 EDT Wednesday, May 6, 2015 at Hatchechubbee United Methodist Church Cemetery with Rev. Jim Gilboy officiating. The family will receive friends at the graveside on Wednesday.