August 18, 1929 — February 3, 2020
Jeannine Harris Holt quietly passed away on the evening of Feb. 3, 2020. Born on Aug. 18, 1929, to Grant Brooks Harris and Eleen Rosalia Higbee, she was the first of five daughters.
Growing up in St. George, she won the Utah State Girls Tennis Championship at age 16 and went on to graduate from Dixie High School in 1947. While attending Dixie College, she met George Stanford (Stan) Holt. Both were active in student activities and athletics. They were partnered in a dance recital performed to Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Waltz. They spent 68 years dancing together after they married in the St. George Temple on Sept. 10, 1949.
Dancing was always a part of their life together. Early in their marriage, they directed and participated in many LDS dance festivals and served as stake missionaries.
From their home base in Enterprise, Utah, Jeannine and Stan raised three children and are blessed with seven grandchildren as well as many great and great-great-grandchildren. Jeannine loved being “auntie” to her extended family and was looking forward to the return of her son Steven and his wife Sherry from their humanitarian service in Vietnam as Country Director of LDS Charities.
Jeannine’s professional life began in 1958 with Mendenhall Construction as a bookkeeper/secretary. In 1977, Jeannine started her 27-year career serving under Senators Garn and Hatch as Southern Utah Area Director. Over these years, she wore-out multiple cars making sure the needs and desires of Southern Utahans were well represented. Before her retirement, Jeannine received a citation in the U.S. Congressional Record on March 11, 2004, for her dedicated public service. In particular, she was cited for her work on land issues, private property rights and her diligent efforts for the rights of Radiation Exposure Victims. Senator Hatch called Jeannine, “a real Southern Utah treasure.”
Throughout her life, Jeannine used her exceptional organizational skills and boundless energy to benefit others, spending countless hours serving individuals as well as their local communities. With her love for education, Jeannine was a strong advocate for Dixie State College (now DSU) and served 10 years as a trustee. On May 5, 2007, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree and was inducted into the 2011 DSC Hall of Fame for her Public and College service.
Jeannine is preceded in death by her husband and dancing partner Stan; her parents, Grant and Eleen Harris; and sisters Helen (Lan Brookes) Harris Ritz, Rosalee Harris Hunt Off and Goldie Maree. She is survived by daughter Patrice (Lane), sons Steven Stanford (Sherry) and Jeffrey Wayne (Barbara); and sister Shirley (Scott) Graff plus many dear nieces, nephews and extended family. Deep appreciation is expressed to all the health care professionals who have assisted our mother so diligently these past few years, especially Wendy Grimes and the caring angels of Beehive Homes and Advanced Home Health and Hospice.
A celebration of Jeannine’s life will be held Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at 11 a.m. in the Spilsbury Mortuary Chapel, 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, Utah. Friends and family are welcome to visit on Friday, Feb. 14 from 5-7 p.m. and a viewing will be held on Feb. 15 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to services.
In lieu of flowers, donations would be welcomed and greatly appreciated for a DSU Scholarship fund established in the name of The George S. and Jeannine H. Holt (Contact Debbie Forman at 435-652-7509 or [email protected]).
Arrangements under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, Utah, (435) 673-2454.
Family and friends are invited to sign her online guestbook at www.spilsburymortuary.com