BASTROP, Texas — Born June 10, 1930, William Holmes “Bill” Holland Jr. died Jan. 23, 2012, at his home. He was 81.

A family memorial service will be held Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012. Interment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis.

Dr. Holland was born in Rosedale and grew up in Vicksburg, graduating from Carr Central High School in 1948. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Millsaps College, where he was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Fraternity and Pi Kappa Alpha social fraternity and served as editor of “Stylus” literary magazine and the yearbook. He also wrote for the school paper and participated in theater.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Germany, where he used his word skills as a code-breaker. He served with the Happy Hundred and was honorably discharged.

He received a master’s degree from the University of Mississippi and his doctorate in English from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Dr. Holland taught at several schools before settling at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., where he taught until retiring in 1993. While at MTSU, he initiated and was the first chair of the Honors Department and was selected outstanding Honors teacher. Dr. Holland was instrumental in creating the Community Theater, where he acted, directed, constructed and even cleaned up once in a while.

Dr. Holland was a published poet, and his writings enjoyed critical acclaim from the many writers’ organizations in which he was active. He and his wife, Anne Sisson Holmes Holland, moved in 1996 to Bastrop, where he continued to write, edit and participate in various writers’ guilds; to travel widely; to hunt for gemstones and crystals; and strive to garden in the arid Texas sand.

Dr. Holland was preceded in death by his parents, William H. Holland Sr. and Mary Wilcox Holland; and a son, William H. Holland III.

He is survived by his wife, Anne S. Holland of Bastrop; a son, James E. Holland (Anna) of Walls, Miss.; daughters Mary T. Hatcliff (Pat) of Murfreesboro, Carolyne Raney (Eric) of Louisville, Ky., and D’Arcy H. Simpson (Chuck) of Murfreesboro; daughter-in-law, Patricia K. Holland of Murfreesboro; stepson, W.M. “Matt” Holmes (Donna); sister, Shirley H. Carley (C.T.) of Starkville; 11 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.memphisfuneralhome.net.

Memphis Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens, 5599 Poplar Ave., Memphis, TN 38110; 901-725-0100.