Born in Columbus, Georgia on July 4, 1960, Jim Holloway received his undergraduate degree in music from Shorter College in Rome, Georgia; his master 's degree from the University of North Texas; and, after beginning his doctorate at the University of Alabama, completed his doctorate at the University of Washington. A long-time pastoral musician, he served parishes in Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oregon as organist and choir director before moving to Tacoma in 1989 to become Minister Through Music at Trinity Lutheran Church. While at Trinity he established one of the largest and most active church music programs in the Northwest. For ten years he taught part-time at Pacific Lutheran University before joining the faculty full-time in the fall of 2000 as Assistant Professor of Music and University Organist. At PLU he was known as an outstanding and challenging teacher, concert organist and pianist, choral director and caring colleague. In the West and throughout the country his insightful contributions to Lutheran worship and music have been widely recognized.

Dr. Holloway maintained an active performance schedule, and was a featured recitalist at international festivals,and a performer and lecturer at national and regional conferences of the American Guild of Organists,the Organ Historical Society, and the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians. He was the current president of the Western Regional ALCM. He was a winner in 16 organ competitions at the state, regional and national level. He was well known as a writer and conference speaker on topics in church music and worship, and of his doctoral specialty, German Romantic organ repertoire. He had a particular love of accompanying, and had the pleasure of working with such notables as Robert Shaw. A book with some of Jim 's hymn improvisations will be released next month from Augsburg Press.

Married to widow Judy (Willis) Carr in 1995, he enthusiastically took on the role of father to her children. He was immensely proud of Ben, Mark, and Lauren and participated actively in their lives. They are bereft at the loss of such a caring mentor, listener and role model. He also gained two stepchildren, Dulane (Mike) Moran and Alexis (Justin) Ashworth, who had already moved out on their own, and in characteristic style, he forged a strong relationship with them as well. Jim and Judy were delighted with their first grandchild, Ethan Thomas Moran (Cobb) Holloway. He was preceded in death by his father. In addition to his immediate family, he is survived by his mother, Joan Peary, and grandmother, Viola Cobb, of Columbus, Georgia; sister Jenean (Andrew) Carlton of Atlanta, Georgia; and brother Jeff (Suzanne) Holloway and their children Kyle, Casey and Victoria of Mobile, Alabama.

The consummate teacher and learner, he sought constantly to combine his love of music and ministry with his passion for teaching. His energy touched the lives of thousands of students, church members, and concert-goers. His family, friends, colleagues, and the arts and Church community have lost a valued and caring friend and role model. He was a gourmet cook, gentle soul, joke teller, gracious host, genteel Southerner, brilliant scholar and teacher, writer and composer, compelling speaker, good listener and helper to all, musician extraordinaire, devoted servant of God, lover of pets and children, and utterly devoted father, husband, brother, son and friend-these are the images that will be remembered.