Holly "Elmwood Grief Therapy Dog"

Holly the Goldendoodle crossed the rainbow bridge on September 19, 2025, in Abilene, Texas, after a long, hard-fought dog-fight with her nemesis, cancer.

Born in Grand Prairie on December 23, 2016, Holly quickly realized her purpose in life: to love people through their hardest days. As a certified grief therapy dog, she proudly served families at Elmwood Funeral Home, dedicating her days (and belly rub breaks) to comforting those walking through loss. She had an uncanny gift for finding the one person in the room who needed her most, placing her chin on their lap, and looking at them with eyes that seemed to see straight into the soul.

She worked tirelessly, but also knew how to live life big. Holly was a rock star in Abilene—recognized in restaurants, stores, and especially for her annual costumed photo shoots that became a calendar tradition across the country. She loved running laps around the chapel’s slick floors, chasing Frisbees, and waging epic battles with tennis balls (be warned: never say “tennis ball” unless you were prepared for action).

Among her many proud career moments, Holly spent nearly three weeks in Uvalde, TX, comforting families of school shooting victims—an honor that deeply marked her service. If you asked her, however, she might have said her highlight was meeting Matthew McConaughey (alright, alright, alright).

While her work with grieving families was her calling, her biggest impact was on her Elmwood coworkers. She never failed to remind the staff to pause, breathe, take a walk—or at the very least, let her snuggle close to offer comfort. She made the hard days lighter and the good days brighter.

Holly lived fully—she worked hard, played harder, and loved hardest. Though her paws will no longer click across the chapel floor, her presence will always be felt in the lives she touched.

She was more than a dog; she was a colleague, a friend, and the kind of soul we were all lucky to know.

Run free, sweet girl. You’ve earned it.