Mary Hollod

Bridgewater

With profound sadness we announce the passing of Mary Hollod, nurturing mother, loving grandmother and great-grandmother, devoted sister, and respected friend. Mary passed away peacefully at age 99 on September 7, 2021, surrounded by family, and rejoins her husband George and son Dennis in heaven.

Mary was born to Andrew and Mary (Baran) Sekera in Bracovce, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia), on December 25, 1921 (she shares her birthday with her father), and soon moved to Smolnik, Poland. She immigrated to the United States in 1929 and settled with her parents in McAdoo, PA, where she and her three younger sisters, Catherine, Jean, and Dorothy, were raised. Mary graduated from McAdoo High School in 1941. She always spoke fondly of her time playing the clarinet and saxophone in the high school marching band, All-State Band, and an all-girl band ensemble.
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Mary met George Hollod at a church dance and, after his military service in World War II, the two were married in May 1947. The couple eventually moved to Bridgewater, NJ, where they raised their son, Dennis, and their daughter, Diane, and where Mary lived the remaining years of her life.

Mary was a longstanding parishioner of St. Mary’s Church in Manville NJ, and a beloved and admired member of the Somerset County Single Senior Women’s Group. She was a talented seamstress, learning to make her own clothes as a child and then translating this into a career later in life. She had a life-long love of fashion and possessed an amazing sense of style and class. Among family and friends, she is also well-known for her beautiful, crocheted blankets.
Mary lived an active life for all 99 of her years, finding joy in dancing, dining out, and shopping, and she was never one to miss a party! She was also an avid traveler who appreciated the beauty and culture of new places around the world. Most recently, in the year of her 90th birthday, she enjoyed a return visit to her birthplace in eastern Europe, where she recalled the historic geography and visited the Church in which she was baptized. She was always deeply connected to her Ukrainian heritage, which she passed on to all of her family through food—most notably, her delicious homemade pierogi, babalki, mushroom soup, and sauerkraut!

More than anything, Mary loved to be surrounded by family and friends and could be counted on to bring a smile to the faces of all who encountered her. She treasured her family and embraced every moment with them. She especially loved her role as Grandma and Baba to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mary’s warmth and vivacious personality were contagious, and her positivity and charm were to be admired—and perhaps the secret to her long, fulfilled life.
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Mary is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Diane and Anthony Crupi; daughter-in-law Dorothea Hollod; grandchildren, Kristine Gibson (Chris), Timothy Hollod (Laura), Steven Hollod (Ruth), Kimberly Crupi Dobbins, and Anthony Crupi (Lori); grandchildren, Alexa and Brianna Gibson and Eli and Serena Crupi; and sisters Jean Velten, Catherine Green, and Dorothy Opilla. She is predeceased by her husband, George (1968) and son, Dennis (2013).
Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated 10:30am on Saturday, September 11, at St. Mary Byzantine Church, 1900 Brooks Blvd., Hillsborough, NJ. Interment to follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery, River Rd., Manville/Hillsborough

​In lieu of flowers, please make any donations to Valley Hospice in Paramus, NJ.