Mary Jane Holman, Hope's First Women's Golf Coach, Passes Away, Was 91

She led the Flying Dutch to four MIAA titles, including the first three in league history

Mary Jane Holman, Hope College's first women's golf coach and a four-time MIAA champion, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 91.

On the links, Holman coached the Flying Dutch for seven seasons, beginning in 1991. The Flying Dutch won the first three women's golf championships in league history and claimed a fourth crown under her direction in 1996.

Holman coached the first All-American in program history and 26 All-MIAA golfers, including four MIAA Most Valuable Golfers: Lisa Stover (1991-1993) and Ellen Colenbrander (1996). Stover earned All-America honors at the 1994 NCAA Division III Championships by tying for fifth in a field of 29 golfers.

Holman also served the college in numerous other roles.

In 1973, Holman joined the staff as the secretary for the department of kinesiology. The native of Hastings, Michigan, subsequently became the athletic ticket manager. When the Dow Center opened in 1978, Holman became the building's office manager and facilities coordinator and held that role for 25 years.

In 1988, Holman succeeded faculty member Dr. George Kraft as the Dow Center director when he assumed additional responsibilities as chair of the department of kinesiology.

In 1994, Holman became the director of the DeWitt Tennis Center when it opened.

"Jane has just had a tremendous capacity to do work, to do a volume of work and to do it well," Kraft said in a 1998 Hope College story about Holman's retirement. "She just is an incredibly able person. She's doing so many things that it's just unbelievable. In a sense, it's taking five people to replace her."

Holman was preceded in death by her parents and her son, Jim Petersen, and is survived by her husband, Paul Holman; sons Frank (Liz) Petersen and Carl (Patti) Petersen; grandchildren Stephanie (Jamey) Forkins, Courtney (Ben) Glaze, Mitchell Petersen, and Jayden (Rebecca) Petersen.

In accordance with Holman's wishes, no formal services will be held. Arrangements are being handled by Girrbach Funeral Home in Hastings.

In Holman's memory, contributions can be made to Barry Community Hospice in Hastings, Hospice of Michigan, or Serenity Village in Hastings.

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