Charlie C. Holland, 82, of 6237 Old Jenks Rd., Apex, went home to be with his Lord on Thursday Oct. 8. Born in 1927, Charlie Holland lost his mother at age 8, then his father at age 11, beginning a difficult orphaned childhood. His compassion, concern, and support for orphans remained with him his entire life.

Following training at Spencer School of Watchmaking, he and his wife Ann founded Hollands Jewelers in Apex on Aug. 1, 1960. Holland had a passion for his Lord, serving the Apex Baptist Church as deacon and various committee chairs throughout his long membership there. He was devoted to the Apex business community serving as charter member of the Apex Rotary Club as well as Triangle Youth for Christ. He also served the community in the Apex Jaycees, the Apex Library Board, the Downtown Merchants Association, and the Apex Chamber of Commerce who honored him as Citizen of the Year in 2006. He was a member of the Apex Masonic Lodge and the Amran Shrine.

A service celebrating his life and home going will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday Oct. 11 in the Apex Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the Apex Cemetery. Surviving are his wife of 56 years, Ann P. Holland, son Charles Lee Holland and his wife Gloria of Apex, son Andy Holland and his wife Kim of Raleigh, daughter Charlene Smith and her husband Wilton of Burlington, daughter Angela Dixon and her husband Dale of Fuquay-Varina, daughter Paula Mills and her husband Paul of Trinity, daughter Ginny Sears and her husband Stacey of Apex, and daughter Rebecca H. Young and her husband Sam of Cary. Also surviving are 13 grandchildren and one great granddaughter. Holland was preceded in death by four brothers, and survived by one sister, Jewel Holmes of Benson.

His family will receive friends from 4-6 p.m. on Saturday at the Apex Funeral Home, 550 W. Williams St. in Apex. Those desiring to do so may make memorials to The Smile Train, or to Mabopane Orphanage, through Apex Baptist Church, 110 S. Salem St., Apex, NC 27502. Online condolences may be made at www.apexfuneral.com.