John Dale Holland Jr. “Skipper,” 66, was born Oct. 13, 1949, in Vicksburg and died peacefully April 19, 2016, at Baptist Hospital in Jackson after a courageous battle with respiratory and heart complications.

He was the son of the late John Dale Holland Sr. and Sara Jean Jones Holland of Jackson. He was predeceased by his wife, Janice O’Bannon Holland, and is survived by his sisters, Cheryl Holland Rula “Sherry” and Sara Holland Ragsdale; and his brother, Mark Whitaker Holland; and a niece and three nephews.

Skipper spent his youth in Vicksburg, where he graduated from St. Aloysius High School in 1969. He continued his education at Hinds Community College and went on to study hotel and motel/restaurant management at the University of Southern Mississippi where he competed on the diving team.

Skipper worked in the restaurant business for many years in management of local area private clubs and later as owner of Mutt & Jeff’s New Orleans Style Restaurant located on Capital Street in Jackson.

He left the restaurant business and worked with Tom Wimberly Ford as a sales representative for five years and then operated his own hosiery business for seven years, supplying women’s hosiery to retail outlets in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. He retired from Golden Flake in 2014.

Skipper loved deer hunting and the time he spent at his family’s Tujon Lodge on Thompson Lake in Vicksburg. Although he lived his later years in Jackson, Vicksburg was always home to him. In his youth he was active in 4-H club where he developed a love of horses. He was an accomplished water skier as well as competitive diver. He gathered much pleasure from these sports.

Skipper cherished his family and friends and was truly a “good, kind soul” who enjoyed a life well-lived. He had a heart of gold and was always there to lovingly and graciously help others. He will be well remembered for his kindness and generosity.

Graveside service will be Friday, April 22 at 11 a.m. at Lakewood Memorial Cemetery, 6011 Clinton Boulevard, Jackson, and a memorial service will follow at 1 p.m. at Parkway Memorial Funeral Home located at 1161 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please make a contribution in memory of Skipper to the charity of your choice.