SPARTA – Robert William "Bob" Holloway, age 91, of Sparta, Illinois passed away on May 26, 2025, at his home on Holloway Farms.

Visitation will be Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 9am, with the Celebration of Life service immediately following at 11am, held at Westminster Presbyterian Church (360 E. Broadway Street) in Sparta. The Reverend Dennis Hamilton officiating. Burial will follow at Caledonia Cemetery. Arrangements are by Wilson's Funeral Home of Steelville. Lunch will be provided after the service in the Westminster Presbyterian Church fellowship hall. All are invited.

Robert (Bob) was born in Granite City, Illinois to Don and Vera Holloway on September 13, 1933. He completed Elementary and High School in Sparta Township where he was the captain of the Bulldog Boys Varsity Basketball Team. After graduation, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from The University of Illinois where he was the President of his Fraternity, Theta Xi. Bob served in the Army Signal Corp followed by two years in the reserve until 1960. He married his high school sweetheart, Alene Waller, on June 12, 1954, at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sparta – the same church he had attended throughout his childhood and where he taught 6th grade Sunday school. He went on to serve as a deacon, elder and an active choir member.

His first love was farming and dairy, which he continued to do throughout his high school and college years. He also worked for the State of Illinois Department of Agriculture, becoming the Illinois Superintendent of Agriculture Regulation in Springfield, Illinois. In 1975, Bob became the Director of Reclamation at Arch Mineral Coal Corporation of Illinois-Captain Mine where he excelled in crop yields and became an avid beekeeper, sharing honey with all those at the mine. Later, after his retirement in 1989, he started Holloway Deep Til Inc, a multi-state land reclamation company.

Robert retired early to devote his life to serving others and touched many lives in his mission work. He was involved in the Rotary International Club of Sparta, where he served as President for two terms. He was awarded the prestigious Rotarian of the Year award in 2011-2012 and the Rotary International Citation for Worldwide Meritorious Service in 2014. Bob and his wife Alene made over 20 trips to serve as missionaries to the people of Malawi, Africa, assisting in both medical, clean water, solar and agricultural projects. Together they raised funds to build a primary school in Chaska, Malawi and a missionary guest house at Embangweni Mission Station. They also helped build the Kaviyere Presbyterian Church that now has over 2,000 members.

Robert Holloway is preceded in death by his parents, Don and Vera Holloway; brother, James D. Holloway; and sister, Suzanne Dempsey along with cousins and many dear friends.

Robert is survived by his wife of 70 years, Alene Waller Holloway; son, Robert W. Holloway; daughters, Julie Hirz (David), Angela Pietrowski (Stephen), Jennifer Burton (Daniel); his brother, Don R. Holloway; along with 8 granddaughters, 1 grandson, and 4 great grandchildren.

Memorials may be given to Westminster Presbyterian Church of Sparta, noted to Malawi Kaviyere Church, or Rotary International Foundation, designated to Sparta Chapter. You may contact Wilson's Funeral Home for further information.