PENELOPE KENNEDY JONES HOLCOMB

1944-2019

Penelope “Penny” Kennedy Jones Holcomb passed away peacefully the morning of May 18, 2019 after a short battle with cancer.

Penny was born March 24, 1944 in the East Texas town of Nacogdoches to Ashford and May Irvin Kennedy Jones. She adored growing up in her historic childhood home, now known as the Jones House Bed & Breakfast, located in the center of town on North Church Street. Following her graduation from Nacogdoches High School, she attended the University of Texas at Austin and joined Chi Omega Fraternity. When her father developed an unexpected illness, she returned home to help care for him and completed her education at Stephen F. Austin State University.

It was also in Nacogdoches that she met her husband, David. She and David were married in August 1965, and moved first to Houston, then to Los Angeles, California and Lexington, Kentucky. Missing Texas, they moved back to Houston, ultimately settling in Kingwood, where they built a beautiful home and raised their sons, Trace and Jay.

Over the years, Penny taught business classes to junior high school students, walked the runway in upscale fashion shows at stores like Neiman-Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, and built a very successful real estate business with RE/MAX Northeast. In addition, she was instrumental in supporting and encouraging David’s success at Baylor College of Medicine, where he was named the first dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences (now known as the School of Health Professions). Upon retiring from real estate in 2000, Penny and David moved into the city, near Rice Village, to be closer to David’s office and to their sons’ families.

Penny was the personification of Christian ideals and held a deep love and respect for the Episcopal Church. She was a supportive and selfless mother, mother-inlaw, grandmother, sister and friend, who also happened to be a fantastic cook with a wicked sense of humor and always looked at least half her age. “Pen” was a fixture at all of her granddaughter, Lauren’s, dance performances, as well as her grandson, John’s, baseball and basketball games. Her smiling face and exuberant cheering will be sorely missed at future events.

Penny is survived by her husband, Dr. J. David Holcomb of Houston; sons Trace David Holcomb (Amy) and Jason Ashford Holcomb (Elisa), both of Houston; her beloved grandchildren, Lauren and John Holcomb; sister, Neville Jones West of Clear Lake; brother-inlaw, Steve Holcomb (Jane) of Conroe; as well as three nieces, one nephew, and many dearly loved extended family and friends.

The family would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of the knowledgeable, unbelievably kind caregivers from Evergreen Hospice Care who assisted the family over the last month, as well as to the many visitors who stopped by and truly brightened Penny’s final days.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 24, 2019 at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road, Houston, Texas 77056, with a reception in the Bagby Parish Hall following the service. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Martin’s Episcopal Church or to the American Cancer Society.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith…” 2 Timothy 4:7