Canary Lee Hollis “Hickman” was the first child of Martha and Cleveland Hickman born on May 8, 1915 in Louisville, Mississippi. In 1920, her family relocated to Barton, Arkansas, where she first attended school.
In 1933, Canary joined Louis Hollis in matrimony, and they relocated to Crumrod. Arkansas in 1935. In 1952, they moved to Battle Creek, Michigan and called it home. She always devoted her time to her children, sending them to school and to music lessons. She later picked up work as a seamstress and housekeeper.
Canary has now been a resident at 27 Hanover Street in Battle Creek , Michigan for more than 70 years. Canary’s children that preceded her in death, Charles Hollis, Eddie Hollis, Martha Hollis-Holley and Mary Hollis.
Of the remaining three, Andrew Hollis, Dorothy Hollis-Burkett, still reside in Battle Creek, Michigan, Willie Hollis resides in Houston, Texas. She has one son-in-law, Sonny Holley.
After the passing of her two youngest daughters, she took on the task of raising two young children, her grandchildren Marcus and Angela. Canary is now the mother of five generations, thirty-six grandchildren, forty-nine great grandchildren and seven great, great grandchildren and many more.
Canary assumed her matriarchal role of the family in 1988, after the passing of her mother Martha Glass Hickman, who was also a long-time resident of Battle Creek, Michigan. She is the eldest of twelve children, six of whom lived to adulthood. Canary has always been called "Sister" by her now deceased siblings, Sarah Nicholson of West Helena, Arkansas, Bernice Rice and Edith Parnell, both of Chicago, Illinois and Cleveland Hickman II, also of Battle Creek, Michigan. Because she is the eldest, Canary is affectionately called "Alpha" by a greater part of the family and Canary has one surviving sister, Ethola Holifield, also affectionately called "Omega", who is the youngest of the siblings.
Called Canary by some and Mrs.Hollis by others, her name has become synonymous with Hanover Street as a pillar in the community and a safe haven for her neighborhood family and many others. Canary loves and has always been surrounded by her family and friends. She has housed, nursed and nurtured many and has been a neighbor, friend and confident.
Canary herself received the Lifetime Achievement Award at 100 years of age for being the longest living resident on the Hanover block.
In the neighborhood, she is known for her Sunday dinners, which included rice, gravy, greens, sweet potatoes cornbread and her famous fried chicken that you could smell a block away.
Throughout the many years that Canary has resided in Battle Creek, family visits to her home became a tradition. Now on any given weekend you might drive by her home and find her driveway filled with cars, mostly from Chicago, but always from out of town. Her home has for many years been a place of summer visits and Bar-B-Que cookouts.
Canary Lee Hollis has went to sleep in death awaiting the Grand Resurrection to Paradise Earth
(Acts 24:15)
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