Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I spoke to Dawn Hollingsworth about featuring their lives in an article. Trying to get back into a more normal routine, I called and was glad to get an interview.
by L. Agnes Russell
Both from Newton County, Dawn and Chris Hollingsworth met the day after Thanksgiving in 1992 at her brother Randy’s house and were married July 10, 1993. Eight years later, Seth Allen was born on Aug. 22, 2000. Elizabeth “Lizzy” Dawn was born Jan. 7, 2002. Seth graduated from Newton County High School in 2019 and Lizzy in 2020. Seth is working on his Information Technology degree at East Central Community College, and Lizzy is attending ECCC on a softball scholarship while majoring in Dental Hygiene.
Born to Raymond and Patricia Chaney Hollingsworth, Jan. 5, 1971, Chris was reared in a strong Christian home. His father was a head mechanic at MDOT, while his mother was a beautician in Union for many years before working a few years at La-Z-Boy. Dawn told me of Patricia, confined to a wheelchair since an accident in 1998. “She is always smiling and strong in her faith, keeping the family positive and strong in our faith as well.” Chris’s younger brother Clay Hollingsworth lives in Newton with his wife Pansy Dean. He has a son named Cole. Chris’ sister Chaney lives in Vicksburg with her husband Josh Carlucci and their six children.
Chris graduated from Newton County Academy in 1989 and continued to work for Rose Mobile Homes, where he had worked since 1985. He earned a Machine Precision Technology degree from ECCC in 1991 and began working at La-Z-Boy. He filled different positions with other companies from 1994, with intermittent stents back with Rose, and was self-employed between 2000 and 2003. The Lord then led him to Southern Pine, where Chris has worked from 2003 until the present as an engineering staking technician.
Dawn shared how Chris has worked in different places after hurricanes. She said, “Chris is very much a prayer. He has a lot of faith and the remarkable gift of discernment. I’ve learned to trust him and his intuition.” His personal testimony begins as a young boy believing in Jesus and attending Pine Bluff Baptist Church growing up. It continues into his adulthood, in a revival led by Dr. Danny Lanier, examining himself to determine if he was in fact a Christian. He said, “The Lord spoke to me and told me that not only did I need to believe, but that I must ask God to be the Lord of my life.” He also felt that God was telling him: “It’s about your personal relationship with me.”
He went on to say that once returning home from the revival, he laid down with little Seth on his toddler bed. “I began to pray like never before. When I returned to my feet, things were so different. Neither my thoughts nor my actions have ever been the same. I saw myself as a new creature. I made my profession of faith public and the following Sunday was baptized. My life has been renewed because of Jesus and His love for me.” After being nominated as deacon several times, Chris answered Bro. Joe Clarke’s question as to when he would commit, saying, “I don’t think I’m ready,” to which Bro. Joe replied, “Son, when you think you’re ready, we probably won’t want you!” He then began serving as a deacon of Clarke-Venable Baptist Church.
Dawn Strebeck Hollingsworth was born to Charles and Liz Harmon Strebeck of Hickory, March 24, 1972. Mr. Strebeck was a long-haul truck driver and her mother was primarily a stay-at-home mom. She has a half-brother, Jerry Shoemaker, and two brothers living in Hickory, Larry and Randy “Skeet” Strebeck. She also has two adopted brothers, Richard and Nathan Strebeck, living in Long Beach, Miss., and Baton Rouge, La., respectively.
Dawn’s grandmother Bernice Strebeck took her to Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church and was a strong Christian influence in her life. She spent a lot of time there, as her parents both struggled with economic hardships and alcoholism. After attending Vacation Bible School, young Dawn repeatedly asked Jesus to save her in every room of her Granny’s house before running outside to tell her what she had done. She was baptized soon after in a creek near the church. She said, “Granny’s faith was strong. She was quick to forgive and taught me to forgive.”
When she was 10, her mother died and her father passed away the next year, both of cancer. She then went to live with her aunt and uncle, Benny Joe and Linda Strebeck in Pearl, Miss., where she graduated from Pearl High School in 1991. She believes she probably would not have gone on to college and into her career if she had not been helped so much by living with them and other family members through the years. They all kept her in church and were gracious with her, as she described herself as being “hard to handle.” She is very appreciative for them all.
Dawn attended Hinds Community College and ECCC, graduated from Mississippi State University of Meridian with a B.S. in Special Education in 1995 and earned her master’s in 2008 in Educational Leadership. I wish I had room to list some of the many honors and certifications she has earned. She taught special education at Choctaw Central from 1995-1998, before teaching at Hudspeth Groups Homes in Meridian until 2002. She then began teaching at Newton County High School, both general education and special education classes. In 2012, she became the assistant principal at Newton County High School.
Dawn said, “God puts you where you need to be. It’s all about God’s timing.” Though she thought special education was her calling, she said, “I can minister to a lot of people all across the spectrum.” Dawn spoke about her difficult upbringing and said, “It made me have a better understanding of what some kids at school are going through.” She also believes in being open with students, to help them realize, as she says, “Most people don’t come from perfect situations. You have to be willing to share your story.”
She went on to say, “Recently, in 2014, I had a ‘renewal of faith.’ I was just going through a period in my life when I felt I was losing ground.” She prayed, “I’m going to try to shine for You through my job, and I need Your help in the challenges.” She also said, “When I was going through some things with one of my children, the unknown was apparent. But I learned to embrace Jeremiah 33:3. I learned what praying without ceasing was about.” She also shared, “I do a lot of one-liners in my day,” (meaning short prayers).
Chris and Dawn both look at their jobs as ministry, with opportunities to give encouraging words, to give and do whatever they can to help people. Clarke-Venable Baptist Church has been the family’s church, and their Christian faith has been the guiding light of the Hollingsworth family.
Live for Jesus! He’s coming soon! You may contact me at lagnesrussell@gmail.com or 601-635-3282.
