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Beloved UGA journalism professor loses battle to cancer, writes his own obit

Aside from the hilarious tweets coming from students and loving remarks from colleagues, Hollander continues to make people smile even after his passing through his obituary.
Photo courtesy of UGA Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication

ATHENS, Ga – The Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications at The University of Georgia lost a good one on Tuesday.

Beloved journalism professor for over 26 years Barry Hollander lost his battle with thyroid cancer.

Hundreds of colleagues, friends, former and current students flooded social media with memories and condolences.

Aside from the hilarious tweets coming from students and loving remarks from colleagues, Hollander continues to make people smile even after his passing through his obituary.

Yes, he wrote his own obituary.

In his own words, Hollander said if you know him you wouldn’t be surprised.

After years of fighting thyroid cancer, Hollander wrote “eventually the cancer won.”

His obituary follows his life story from being born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee to his first job at a small daily newspaper in Mississippi where on his first day he wrote obits.

“Here I am, full circle, writing my own,” Hollander wrote.

It wasn’t until the fall of 1991 that Hollander and his wife settled in Athens and never left. He took a job as an assistant professor at Grady College and years later was made full professor.

“I never once regretted accepting the UGA job, though once or twice perhaps Grady did,” Hollander wrote. “I got to work with the very best faculty in the world, got to work with the very best students in the world, and got to live and raise a family in the very best town in the world.”

It was apparent that Hollander loved his students, his colleagues, Grady College, and especially his family.

He is survived by his wife Edith and children Jacob and Erin. He wrote that you can send flowers if you’d like, as Edith loves them. Hollander also wrote that in his memory, to watch out for his wife, the love of his life.

He also had a few more request:

  • “In my memory raise a good glass of bourbon or single-malt whisky.”
  • “In my memory, tell stories about me, especially the ones that make me sound like an idiot.”
  • “In my memory, tell stories about me, especially the ones that make me sound like an idiot.”

There is no doubt that Hollander will be missed in Athens and at Grady College. But what is apparent, is that he made the most of his time while there.

“I'm convinced Heaven, assuming I go there, looks a lot like Athens,” Hollander wrote.

The visitation will be held at Lord & Stephens funeral home on Lexington Road on Thursday, February 1 from 6:00-8: 00 p.m. The funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church on Epps Bridge on Friday, February 2 at 3:30 pm. Flowers can be sent to Lord & Stephens funeral home.

A memorial fund is being created for Hollander by UGA alumni. For information, click HERE.

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