Dr. Frank Joseph Holly

Frank Joseph Holly, 87, of Midland, TX, passed away peacefully on January 16, 2022. A Rosary service will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 20th at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory. A graveside service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, January 21st at Resthaven cemetery.

Frank Joseph Holly was born on December 3^rd, 1934 in Budapest, Hungary to Dr. Sándor Holly and Mária Acsay.   He had three brothers and one sister.

Frank came from a family of strong faith in the Catholic tradition and was an altar boy at a young age.  He grew up in Hungary during the turbulent times of World War II, which ended in the Russian occupation.  Prior to leaving Hungary in 1956, Frank, with his brothers and friends were great lovers of nature, and became famous for spelunking, discovering new cave systems in Hungary, most notably the Pénzpataki cave in the Bükk mountains and the Vass Imre cave, north of Jósvafö.  Frank’s love of nature and humanitarian love of service also combined in his active participation in Scouting, which continued after he came to the United States.  As a refugee arriving in the U.S. in 1956, Frank had to start a new life in an unknown land, with no friends, relatives, money, diploma from any university, or knowledge of English.

In 1969, Frank returned to his native Hungary to marry his bride, whom he had known from a young age.  They had four children together.

Frank’s major hobbies were outdoor activities, dancing, writing, and music, as he was also an accomplished violinist.

Frank was always an enthusiastic, eager, and very positive lover of humanity, and believer in doing the right and just thing, with great courage.  As such, he was always a mentor and role model.

Frank graduated high school from Rákoczy gymnásium, then studied chemical engineering at the Technical University of Budapest between 1953 and 1956.  After the Hungarian Revolution, he immigrated to the U.S., attending Cornell University, where he received a Ph.D. in physical chemistry in 1962.  In the 1960s, Dr. Holly lectured at the University of El Salvador for 1 year and applied his basic science and engineering background in the fields of dentistry and compatibility of prosthetic materials at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, and Thermoelectron in Boston. Beginning in 1968 at the Retina Foundation in Boston, he did pioneering research in tear film physiology and the causes and treatments of Dry Eye Syndrome. In 1977, he was appointed Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard University.  In 1978, Dr. Holly joined the Texas Tech University School of Medicine and became a Professor of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry. In the 1980s, Dr. Holly completed several international lecture tours, as well as organizing international scientific meetings in Texas, Spain, and Hungary as one of the co-founders of the International Society of Dacryology.  He also created a non-profit organization called the Dry Eye Institute, dedicated to helping those suffering with Dry Eye Syndrome.

Frank is survived by his wife of fifty-two years, Katalin, and his children, Tom Holly and wife Fei of Midland; Kathleen Holly of Plano; Gloria Holly of Tyler and Paul Holly and wife Veronica of Chicago; and five grandchildren, Avery, Amelia, Adeline, Alexander, and Timothy; siblings, Dr. Sándor Holly and wife Jutka, his sister Marika Eösze.

Frank is preceded in death by his parents, Sándor and Mária, and his brothers István and Lászlo.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.