Garry Holley Obituary ;Founder of the Austin Baptist Women Passed Away, Austin TX: It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of the widow, Modine Murphy (Garry Holley), founder of Austin Baptist Women. To say Austin missed a mark is an understatement. I know that she and other sisters are lifting the spirits in the Heavenly Kingdom Choir today.
Garry was a fixture in the LGBTQ+ community of Austin, Texas, and beyond. His lifetime of work for the community and the impact he left behind is too great to measure.
In the early 1980s, he was instrumental in the founding and growth of the Texas Gay Rodeo Association. In 1986, he joined with 4 friends and as a joke dressed as little old ladies where they lip-synced to Vestal Goodman’s song Looking for a City as entertainment at the TGRA state meeting in Austin – and The Austin Baptist Women were born.
The Austin Baptist Women became a force for raising funds, raising awareness for HIV/AIDS and other LGBTQ+ focused charities, and for lifting spirits here in Austin, in the State of Texas, and across the United States.
In 1994 he, along with Jackie O’Dare, Colton Courville, and DeShannon founded the United Court of Austin, a 501(c)3 charity organization. Garry served as Emperor I and Absolute Emperor II. With his husband David Pearson both served many years on the Board of Directors. That work and guidance were the wings on which The United Court of Austin soars today as a 30 year organization that has raised significant funds for the LGBTQ+ community in Austin.
Garry received many awards and accolades throughout his lifetime for his contributions including The Jose Honor from the International Court System in 2002, recognitions from the Texas State Legislature, The City of Austin, The City of New Orleans, and The Austin Baptist Women were honored as Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation/Organization of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Greater Austin Chapter. His work with the Babtist Women was featured in Newspapers, Magazines, televised New Reports, and Documentary Films.
Today, May 30, 2024 will remain forever in our thoughts as an end of an era. An era marked by the many contributions of Garry. Our deepest sympathies to his husband the Deacon Dave, David Pearson, all our other ABW sisters, and to his family and many friends everywhere.
