Beloved local media veteran Tammie Holland passes at 53

Longtime media personality Tammie Holland publicly shared her three-year cancer journey with St. Louis from the very beginning – and she kept everyone updated until the very end. A few weeks ago, Holland announced plans to enter hospice care as the final chapter of her brave and dignified battle.

And even with that knowledge, it was still a shock to wake up to the official announcement of her passing on the morning of July 20, 2024. Heartfelt social media tributes flooded the timelines of anyone with a remote connection to St. Louis. Holland was 53.

“If the Arch looks a little rusty today, it’s because tears are a steady flow in St. Louis today,” Jill “Taylor J” Testerman posted on Facebook.  Testerman and Holland were colleagues at iHeart Media. “There is so much to say about someone who inspired so many. Tammie Holland was one of the brightest shining lights that I have ever come across.”

Her voice is instantly identifiable to an entire generation thanks to her career in broadcasting that began as an intern on Majic 108 and concluded as a leading voice on Foxy 106.9 FM’s “The Real Breakfast Crew” alongside The Real JR., Ms. Sineta and Aretha “Lady Re” Richardson and her “This Week with Tammie Holland” podcast powered by Brown and Crouppen.

“Tammie’s remarkable legacy in the radio industry spans over three decades, and her impact on the city of St. Louis will be deeply felt,” Foxy 106.9 FM said in a statement. “Tammie was a cherished fixture on Foxy 106.9. She was known for her warm smile, contagious laughter and genuine enthusiasm for life.”

Born on May 20, 1971 and a graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas-Mercy High School, Holland pursued a career as a flight attendant before finding her life’s work by way of the Broadcast Center of Clayton.  It was there she connected with instructor Marc Clarke, who happened to be the co-host of the top-rated Breakfast Crew morning show for Majic 108 FM. Holland rose through the ranks from Clarke’s intern to Breakfast Crew co-host with Tony Scott. Listeners bonded with Tammie and Tony for years.

Holland’s work in radio and television made her a household name in the St. Louis region. But it was her engagement with viewers and listeners that made her a beloved community treasure. Yes, she was on air – but she put as much effort into being a true personality as in her duties as an on-air talent. Watching her engage with listeners would turn anyone into an instant fan. And that laugh of hers will live forever in the heads and hearts of all who heard it.

She also used her voice for the greater good of the community – including sharing a social media post that went viral of an image of Louis Head as he held up a makeshift sign declaring that “Ferguson police just executed my unarmed son.” It was one of the first images to reach the masses at the start of the Ferguson unrest. Holland was also among the first to interview Michael Brown’s mother Lezley McSpadden-Head.

“Tammie was more than a talented broadcaster,” said Don “DJ Wrekk-1” Williams, Foxy 106.9 FM. “She was a kind, compassionate and generous soul who touched countless lives through her work.  As we remember Tammie’s life and legacy, we take comfort in knowing that her spirit will continue to live on through the countless lives she touched – and the memories she created.”

She didn’t let a little thing like stage four cancer get in the way of living her best life.

“Very early on, I stopped saying, ‘why me,’” Holland told The American in January. “It’s like, ‘why not me?’ My cancer has caused me to live life with more intention – to live life on purpose.”

At the time, she was preparing to make her acting debut in the Black Rep’s world premiere of Paul Webb’s “Hold On” in January of this year.

“This play didn’t come at the best time for me, but it was something I always wanted to do,” Holland said. “My prayer is that someone fighting cancer – or someone facing a major challenge in life – will be able to look at me and say, ‘If God did it for Tammie, he would do it for me.’”

Holland’s passing came six days after an answered prayer.  

“Our girl is 18 today,” Holland’s sister Kelly Taylor wrote on her behalf on Holland’s social media channels for Sunday, July 14. “The prayer this entire journey was to live long enough to see her graduate high school and see her turn 18. God did it! All praises to him and my amazing friends and family.”

Holland received the devastating news of her diagnosis less than two months after the milestone of her 50th birthday.  What she declared to be her next act only lasted three years, but she packed an enormous amount of living in such a short period of time – and inspired people along the way.

“Tammie Holland is a mom, storyteller, cancer fighter and all-around genuine spirit spreading happiness and laughter everywhere she goes,” Jones said in an Instagram post where she declared September 23, 2021 as Tammie Holland Day in St. Louis. “I was proud to present her with my first Key to the City.”

“I know there are people who have been inspired by my cancer journey,” Holland said. “It has been my hope for the people who have drawn strength from my story to allow my light to continue to shine.”

Final arrangements for Tammie Holland are pending at the time of this story’s publication. If services are open to the public, the article will be updated to include them when they become available.