Doctor and philanthropist Gerald Hollingsworth inducted into Florida Veterans Hall of Fame

After more than 50 years of service, from military service to local health care, Dr. Gerald Hollingsworth received one of the highest honors in his life in November as he was inducted into the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame.

"Dr. Hollingsworth exemplifies the kind of individual the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame was established to recognize," Tom Rice, owner of the Magnolia Grill, said during the ceremony. "After honorably serving his country in uniform, he has served his local community and the state of Florida as a veteran. As a local physician, he has cared for thousands of veterans and their family members. As a businessman, he has provided jobs for hundreds of local citizens. As a philanthropist, he has donated millions of dollars to charitable organizations in Florida."

On a beautiful November weekend just before Thanksgiving, Rice and state Rep. Patt Maney, R-Shalimar, invited the Northwest Florida Daily News to give Hollingsworth his medal and reminisce on his honor.

The Life of Hollingsworth

Hollingsworth was born in Centreville, Mississippi, in 1932. After graduating from high school, pursued a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Mississippi in 1948. When he graduated in 1953, he became the first member of his family to finish college.

He then enrolled in Harvard University Medical School, where he spent the next two years. After graduation, Hollingsworth completed his surgical residency at Duval Hospital in Jacksonville before joining the U.S. Navy as a flight surgeon, where he served from 1957 to 1959.

His travels led him to Fort Walton Beach, where he opened his private medical practice in 1959.

As the Vietnam War heated up toward the end of the 1960s, Hollingsworth entered service again, this time for the U.S. Air Force Reserve, and treated soldiers who were injured during the Tet Offensive. During his time in Vietnam, he was provided with a Toyopet, a small, four-door sedan that was at least 10 years old when he used it.

"It didn't have anything in it except a starter, shifter and lights," he said. " I drove that little car all over, and it always got me back home."

When Hollingsworth returned to Fort Walton Beach toward the end of 1968, the Toyopet was the catalyst for Hollingsworth to start the first import car dealership in the area. His car business expanded to several more dealerships in the area. He sold those businesses in 1995.

"There's not many people who own a medical practice and a car dealership at the same time," Rice said.

By 1970, Hollingsworth was a part of two organizations with positive impacts in the area — the All Sports Association and the Okaloosa Island Authority. He was one of the leaders behind the development of the Okaloosa Island Pier, which was completed in 1972.

By 1975, Hollingsworth began to serve as the hospital commander at Duke Field, a position that lasted until 1985, when he retired from military service.

His post-military life still saw him give back to the community. He then became the team physician for sports teams at Choctaw and Fort Walton Beach high schools, which he did for 20 years until he retired from medical practice in 2010.

Charitable Contributions

Rice said that for every dime Hollingsworth made, at least five cents would go back into projects and initiatives that helped people.

In Northwest Florida, Hollingsworth donated "millions" to various organizations in the community, such as the Northwest Florida State College athletic programs, the Salvation Army and One Hopeful Place, to name a few.

His work with the Salvation Army was so influential that the facility the organization works from was dedicated in his honor. It is now called "Hollingsworth Hall."

Other charitable contributions include his alma mater, the University of Mississippi. In 1998, he donated $5 million to the athletic department. To thank him, the football field was renamed in his honor.

By 2015, the university received "the largest donation ever" from Hollingsworth: a $25 million donation to the "Forward Together" campaign, which allowed students to receive future scholarships.

Hollingsworth was named the Northwest Florida Daily News' 2019 Person of the Year.

A Sunday Visit with two old friends

On Nov. 19, Rice and Maney arrived a few minutes past 2 p.m. to a quaint home near the Rocky Bayou Country Club in Niceville.

In Rice's left hand was a manilla envelope, and in his right was a takeout bag from The Magnolia Grill. Inside was a dish of veal parmesan, a favorite among locals in Fort Walton Beach and of Hollingsworth.

Rice's Italian cooking binds him and Hollingsworth in a relationship that started in the 1960s when Rice worked at Perry's Italian Restaurant.

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Twice a week, Hollingsworth would come to the restaurant and order a bowl of spaghetti with Ms. Aggie's marinara sauce. While most people who came into the restaurant would at least have meat sauce or meatballs with their pasta, Hollingsworth never did, according to Rice.

As Hollingsworth let the two inside, the three men passed a Steinway & Sons piano sitting in the foyer.

Moving into the living room, a myriad of photos and signed memorabilia from some of the football greats that played for the University of Mississippi were placed next to other pictures of famous residents of Okaloosa County.

Near Hollingsworth's chair was an old-school jukebox that could have been seen in a local diner, which appeared to be in excellent condition. To the right, an Elvis Presley-themed pinball machine and a Big Buck Hunter arcade game lined the back wall.

As the three men settled in, Rice went through the contents of the envelope with Hollingsworth. Inside was the medal and certificate awarded to those in the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

With Hollingsworth being unable to attend the induction ceremony, Rice accepted the induction on his behalf.

"Dr. Gerald Hollingsworth is one of those rare individuals who works behind the scenes, refusing to take credit for his activities and contributions to making Florida a better place to live, work and raise a family," Rice said at the induction ceremony. "For more than fifty years, he has quietly and anonymously provided badly needed support to local charities, organizations and institutions, including veterans and active-duty military personnel and their families­ that are essential to maintaining and continually improving the quality of life in Northwest Florida. He is known locally as a 'silent philanthropist,' an apt description of this man who has given so much to his community and the state of Florida while insisting on anonymity."

Passion projects

Of everything Hollingsworth has done in his 91 years, he said nothing has brought him more joy than his work with the Special Olympics and the All-Sports Association.

His passion for the Special Olympics was fostered by his mother's youngest sister, who had Down syndrome. Hollingsworth said he was always reminded of her whenever he was around kids involved with the Special Olympics.

"Seeing those kids just have unbridled joy when they compete and win in something," he said. "Even if it's just a 50-yard race, how much they enjoy and how much they appreciate being recognized for doing something. It brought me more joy than anything I've ever done.

"Just treat them like you would with your brother or you sister," Hollingsworth said.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Dr. Gerald Hollingsworth: A legacy of service and philanthropy