COLUMBUS, Ga. — Mrs. Holly Beasley Wait, 64, of Columbus, Ga., passed on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at Piedmont Midtown.

Mrs. Wait was born December 17, 1960 to the late William and Wilma Beasley in Waycross. She graduated in 1979 from Waycross High School. Mrs. Beasley spent more than 34 years working in museums and historic preservation.

She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Valdosta State University and a Masters Degree from Florida State University.

Mrs. Wait began her career as a museum registrar at the Jekyll Island Museum. Returning to Tallahassee, Fla., she worked for many years at the Museum of Florida History as a museum educator, then as grants manager for the statewide Historical Museums Grants-in-Aid Program. Mrs. Wait left the Bureau of Historic Preservation, where she helped run the nation’s largest (at the time) Historic Preservation Grants Program to become director of the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida.

Upon returning home to direct the Okefenokee Heritage Center in Waycross, Mrs. Wait raised funds to complete the exterior restoration of five historic structures on the property. In 2003, she accepted a position as executive director of the Beaches Area Historical Society in Jacksonville Beach, Fla. Mrs. Wait helped complete a capital campaign to construct the brand new, state-of-theart, Beaches Museum and History Center.

She and her husband John, moved to Texas in 2008 to be near his family. As director of the Pearce Museum, a Civil War and Western Art Museum at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, Mrs. Wait created a national western art show and sale, edited and published four volumes of original Civil War letters, and led the museum through its pivotal four-year Sesquicentennial commemoration. Notably at every museum, Mrs. Wait has dramatically improved both visitation and revenue as well as upgrading their collections and facilities.

On April 15, Mrs. Wait would have celebrated her 10th year as the National Civil War Naval Museum Director. She loved the museum and helped it recover from losing 30 percent of its budget when the city withdrew funding. The museum thrived under her leadership, but she was so much more.

Mrs. Wait was the kind of person everyone instantly loved. She brightened every room she graced with her infectious personality and distinctive laugh, which alerted everyone of her presence. Mrs. Wait loved to get people to laugh, and it was hard not to given her instant wit and great sense of humor. She never met a stranger, and would start conversations with whoever was next to her, whether in a grocery store or DMV line, and she would always get them to at least smile if not laugh. Mrs. Wait will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her.

Surviving, yet feeling a definite loss, is her loving husband, John Wait; one brother, William “Bill” Beasley (Dolores) of Clearwater, Fla.; one stepson, John Matthew Wait (Veronica Huerta) of Los Angeles, Calif.; one stepdaughter, Elizabeth Wait of Richmond, Va.; and a host of other relatives, neighbors, coworkers and friends.

Mrs. Wait will have A Celebration of Life at 6 p.m., Thursday, March 6, 2025 at the National Civil War Naval Museum, 1002 Victory Drive, Columbus, Ga., according to the Charles E. Huff's International Funeral Home, Inc.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 8 in the Miles-Odum Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow in Oakland Cemetery.

The family will receive friends beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Donations can be made in lieu of flowers to a fund in Mrs. Wait’s name at “National Civil War Naval Museum,” 1002 Victory Drive, Columbus, 31901, or to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, Md., 21741.

Sympathy may be expressed by signing online at www.milesodumfuneralhome. com Miles-Odum Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.