Jimmie Earl Hollingsworth
December 10, 1941 ~ March 1, 2020
Jimmie Earl Hollingsworth, born December 10, 1941 in Gadsden, AL, died on March 1, 2020 at Inova Fairfax Hospital with his family by his side. Jimmie was predeceased by his mother Bernice (Shook) Hollingsworth and father Clifford R Hollingsworth. He is survived by his fiancé Gail Flannigan; a daughter Rebecca Anne Hollingsworth Mudd (Andy), Richmond, VA; sons Joseph Clifford Hollingsworth, Leesburg, VA; David Brian Hollingsworth (Susan Sundstrom) and granddaughter Sarah of Haymarket, VA; his brother Thomas Edward Hollingsworth (Sherry Shepherd), Pinehurst, NC; nephew Thomas Maury Hollingsworth, Matthews, NC, with grand-niece Alexa and grand-nephew Cole; niece Katherine Winifred Williams and grand-nieces Olivia and Katherine Williams.
Jimmie’s family moved to Lynchburg, VA, in 1947. He attended Fort Hill Elementary School in grades K-5; Robert E. Lee Junior High School grades 6-7; and E.C. Glass High School grades 8-12, where he was active in varsity football. He earned a spot as wingback in his junior and senior years. Jimmie also excelled in baseball, playing in the Babe Ruth League each summer and on his high school team. During the summer 1958, he became the first high school baseball player to hit a homerun over the centerfield fence. In that summer, he earned a spot on the Babe Ruth All-Star team, winning the State Championship and making it to the World Series in Princeton, NJ.
After graduating high school in 1960, Jimmie studied at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets. In 1961, he enlisted in the Army Reserve and completed boot camp at Fort Jackson, SC. Returning to Lynchburg, he was hired by the ABC affiliate WLVA-TV (Ch. 13) where he learned his producer/director skills. In 1965, he was hired by the Washington DC ABC affiliate WJLA-TV (Ch. 7), where he produced and directed the evening news. Soon after, WJLA became responsible for televising the Washington Redskins preseason games, that Jimmie produced and directed. Jimmie valued his participation in the Washington broadcast industry as a primary participant and emcee of a number of the annual local Emmy Awards ceremonies.
Jimmie’s love of sports led to a golf addiction. His love of the game became a family passion as his two sons often joined him on the links. Cliff, a golf pro at Raspberry Falls, and Brian, a teacher in Fairfax County, are both excellent golfers. Becky, after graduating from George Mason University and Virginia Commonwealth University, teaches English and Special Education at LC Bird High School. Jimmie was married to Wende Ford Hollingsworth from 1963-1983.
Jimmie’s family moved to Lynchburg, VA, in 1947. He attended Fort Hill Elementary School in grades K-5; Robert E. Lee Junior High School grades 6-7; and E.C. Glass High School grades 8-12, where he was active in varsity football. He earned a spot as wingback in his junior and senior years. Jimmie also excelled in baseball, playing in the Babe Ruth League each summer and on his high school team. During the summer 1958, he became the first high school baseball player to hit a homerun over the centerfield fence. In that summer, he earned a spot on the Babe Ruth All-Star team, winning the State Championship and making it to the World Series in Princeton, NJ.
After graduating high school in 1960, Jimmie studied at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets. In 1961, he enlisted in the Army Reserve and completed boot camp at Fort Jackson, SC. Returning to Lynchburg, he was hired by the ABC affiliate WLVA-TV (Ch. 13) where he learned his producer/director skills. In 1965, he was hired by the Washington DC ABC affiliate WJLA-TV (Ch. 7), where he produced and directed the evening news. Soon after, WJLA became responsible for televising the Washington Redskins preseason games, that Jimmie produced and directed. Jimmie valued his participation in the Washington broadcast industry as a primary participant and emcee of a number of the annual local Emmy Awards ceremonies.
Jimmie’s love of sports led to a golf addiction. His love of the game became a family passion as his two sons often joined him on the links. Cliff, a golf pro at Raspberry Falls, and Brian, a teacher in Fairfax County, are both excellent golfers. Becky, after graduating from George Mason University and Virginia Commonwealth University, teaches English and Special Education at LC Bird High School. Jimmie was married to Wende Ford Hollingsworth from 1963-1983.
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My name is Lori Kline Facchina. I lived across the street from the Hollingsworths growing up. I remember Becky and I going to the news station with her dad while he worked one time night. It was really cool to see behind the scenes in a studio and we looked in the anchors dressing rooms but we did not touch anything!
He was one of the ones I looked up to when I started my career in television production. R.I.P. Mr. Hollingsworth.
When I worked at Channel 9, Jerry Gordon & I chatted with Jimmie nightly at the Malt Shop (aka the Crab, upstairs). Despite being at competing stations, seemed as though tv news woes were similar everywhere! Jimmie told great stories of good times past, playing golf, family & painting Coca Cola signs! As antiquers, Jerry, Ken Crawford & I were always on the hunt for one of his originals! Jim will be missed as a friend & member of our broadcast family. My deepest sympathies to the family. Laurie Werner