Hollis Bradford Gladden was born on August 12, 1926 in Gadsden, Alabama and passed away on Sunday June 5, 2022; he was two months' shy of his 96 th birthday. Services will be held Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at 11 a.m. at Crestwood Funeral Home in Gadsden, Alabama. The family will receive friends at the funeral home beginning at 1030 a.m. prior to services which will be officiated by Rev. George Lankford.

Hollis was a long-time resident of Gulf Shores and Saraland, Alabama, enjoyed a long, healthy life and was still driving, gardening, and was busy with projects up until the day he contracted Covid in January of this year. Although he recovered from this illness, the chronic damage it inflicted resulted in a continued spiral of degrading health. Hollis maintained a positive attitude and sense of humor throughout, and he did not hesitate to speak his mind. On one occasion when he was too tired to participate in physical therapy, he told the therapist that she sounded like a Democrat because she talked a lot but did not say anything. Fortunately, the physical therapist had grown to appreciate his humor.

Hollis had a long career as procurement manager for Ideal Basic Industries Cement Division where he retired in the mid-1980s, and then enjoyed a second career as procurement manager for RJ Baggett Construction. In his spare time, he enjoyed reading, cooking, gardening, and he was an accomplished amateur electrician and carpenter. He was known for his delicious breakfast biscuits and was continuously adjusting and perfecting his recipe. Hollis loved to spend time with friends and family and he had a never-ending supply of interesting stories to tell about numerous topics. He had a remarkable memory and could recount details from his and his family's life, including many stories that had been passed down from many generations before. He loved spending time at his home in Gulf Shores and relished the simple pleasure of sitting on the porch with a glass of ice water while enjoying the salty air, afternoon breeze, and sounds of the waves. Whenever he was at his home on Tabor Road in Gadsden, he loved the ambiance of a fire in the fireplace, often even in warmer months of the year. Hollis is preceded in death by his parents William Lafayette Gladden and Maggie Wood Gladden, sisters Provie Daniel, Bonnie Harrison, and Dalphine Keller, and brothers Clayton Gladden, Curtis Gladden, Wade Gladden, Lawrence Gladden, and George Olbum Gladden. He is survived by his sister Marie Gladden Jackson of Saraland, AL, as well as nieces and nephews. Hollis was a one of a kind brother, uncle, and friend, and he will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him. He will forever be our beloved "Wawa."