Winston C. Hollingsworth
(1937 – 2023)
Rev. Winston C. Hollingsworth, age 86, passed away at The Retreat Hospice Center, Mobile, Alabama, Wednesday, April 12, 2023. He was born on February 2, 1937, in Nokomis, Florida, to Grady Hollingsworth and Agnes Albritton Hollingsworth. He was one of 11 children.
Winston dedicated his life to serving Christ and others in many capacities from college days at Troy Baptist Student Union, pianist, home mission trips to Oregon, band director at Flomaton High School, to church planting team in Huntsville, AL. He shared his love of reading and research while serving as librarian at Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, Georgia and Huntsville City Schools. He served over 40 years in foreign missions.
Many of these years were spent in the mission field with his first wife, Vertice, and children. They served in India and East Africa until her death in 1996. The last 10 years he served with his second wife, Marie, where they served together, beating all odds of poor health in Kenya, East Africa. Winston fought the good fight to spread the gospel and teach the Word of God and win souls for Christ. He never ceased to serve others and support missions with the Pentecostal Holiness Church. He had a heart for letting the world know about Jesus.
He loved his family, and kept relationships with his siblings and grandchildren and loved them fiercely.
He is preceded in death by his parents Grady and Agnes Hollingsworth, first wife, Vertice Brown Hollingsworth, and sons, Murray Hollingsworth, Phillip Hollingsworth, and Mark Hollingsworth, four brothers, Dewey Hollingsworth, Junior Hollingsworth, Andy Hollingsworth, Floyd “Bob” Hollingsworth, two sisters, Doris Lond and Donna Godwin.
He is survived by his second wife, Marie Bishop Hollingsworth, son Darryl Hollingsworth (Annette), daughter-in-law Billie Jean Hollingsworth, step children Fran Holley (Dewayne), Mike Proffitt (Shannon), Jackie Miller, and Steve Proffitt (Glenda), grandchildren and great grandchildren, siblings, and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services will be held Sunday, April 16, 2023 at 3:00 PM at Whitehouse Fork Pentecostal Holiness Church with Rev. Clark Bailer officiating.
Burial will follow at Antioch Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Sunday, April 16, 2023 from 1:30 PM until service time at 3:00 PM at Whitehouse Fork Pentecostal Holiness Church.
Pallbearers will be Glenn Hollingsworth, Steven Hollingsworth, Dewayne Holley, Daniel Holley, Matthew Hollingsworth, Josh May, and Matthew Byler.
Honorary pallbearers will be James Godwin, Donald Cook, Marvin Hollingsworth, and Martin
– Obituary and Funeral Arrangements from Petty Funeral Home
A Note from World Missions Ministries
Rev. Winston Hollingsworth and his wife Vertice were ordained as clergy members of the Alabama Conference, known today as the Alpha Conference, in 1978. That same year, they began their service as IPHC career missionaries in India, later continuing into Kenya, Africa. Following Vertices’ death, the Lord providentially brought Marie into Winston’s life and together they served as IPHC career missionaries from 1999 until they retired in 2011.
I remember meeting Rev. Hollingsworth when I was a student at Emmanuel College. He was a very quiet, polite, efficient and kind, Christian gentleman who always had a smile for everyone.
The IPHC remains deeply indebted to Winston and Marie Hollingsworth for their service at East Africa Bible College (EABC) when it went through a very difficult transition from 2004 through 2005. Their faith, perseverance, and training enabled them to withstand the storm with grace and courage as they helped to guide the Bible School through this untimely and challenging crisis. The abundance of fruit that is being reaped there today by career missionaries Kevin (EABC Director) and Summer Sneed is, in large measure, due to the Hollingsworths faithfulness. EABC’s influence extends far beyond Kenya today, as students have made their way there from Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, and beyond.
We honor and remember Rev. Hollingsworth’s life and ministry legacy and give thanks to God for his service as a beloved and cherished missionary and minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ knowing that eternity will fully reveal the full Kingdom impact that missionaries like Winston Hollingsworth have made.
May the peace and comfort of the Holy Spirit sustain Marie and the Hollingsworth family as they walk through this “valley of the shadow of death”!
On behalf of IPHC’s World Missions family,
Bishop J. Talmadge Gardner
Executive Director, IPHC World Missions Ministries
