Holly Dodson Speight, 70, passed away peacefully on June 21, 2026, at her home on Pine Lake, surrounded by the love of her family following a brief illness.
A gathering of family and friends will be held from 3-5 p.m. Friday, June 26, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Henderson. A Celebration of Life service will immediately follow at 5 p.m. She will be forever loved, forever remembered and forever missed.
Born on Jan. 14, 1956, in Knoxville, her lifelong love affair with the Volunteer State began at birth. She spent the first five years of her life on the University of Tennessee Agricultural Farm in Knoxville, where her appreciation for Tennessee’s beauty, traditions, and people first took root.
She later grew up in Franklin, Ind., before moving to Henderson during her freshman year of high school. She attended Chester County High School where she quickly became involved in student life as captain of the cheerleading squad, class officer and Homecoming Queen. She graduated with the Class of 1974.
A proud Volunteer, she attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she earned a degree in History and was an active member of Kappa Delta Sorority. Later, she followed her calling into healthcare and enrolled at Union University, earning her Nursing degree in 1984.
She began her nursing career at Regional Hospital in Jackson, where she met the love of her life, Brad Speight. She went on to serve as a neuro-cardiac nurse at Saint Thomas Hospital and was honored to be a member of the medical team involved in Saint Thomas Hospital’s first heart transplant, a milestone she remained proud of throughout her career.
On Aug. 13, 1988, she married Brad Speight at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville. Together, they began building their life together.
In December 1999, they embarked on a new adventure when they moved to Seaside, Fla. During their years in Florida, they owned several businesses, built lasting friendships and created treasured memories. In 2023, they came full circle, returning to West Tennessee to retire nearer to family.
Those who knew Holly will remember her warm heart, infectious enthusiasm, unwavering loyalty, and deep love for Tennessee. Whether cheering on the Volunteers, caring for her patients, welcoming customers into her stores, or spending time with family and friends, she approached life with grace, kindness, and purpose.
She is survived by her devoted husband of 37 years, Brad Speight; her sister, Leslie (Jeff) Hunt; nieces, Brooke (Tyler) Welch, Beth (John Mark) Powell and Anna (Jackson) Keltner; nephews, Andrew Hunt and Max Speight; great-nephews, Jackson and Beckett Welch, Wyatt Powell and Hendrix Hunt; her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jeff and Joyce Speight; her mother-in-law, Treva Speight; a host of extended family members, dear friends and former colleagues; and all whose lives were touched by her kindness and care.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph Dodson and Dorothy Archer Dodson.
