Elizabeth “Bea” Mucica Holzman

12/26/1920 – 01/31/2011

Elizabeth (Bea) Holzman loved many aspects of nature and art. She and her late husband Herb, and their young daughters hiked, backpacked, and camped in many locations on the West Coast and Baja Calif., in the 60’s and 70’s. They spent many weekends driving to the outer reaches of suburbia and beyond exploring geology, botany, critters, and historical sites. Bea enjoyed and excelled at photography, gourmet cooking, Ikebana (Japanese Flower Arranging), and Sumi Painting and Bonsai. She loved listening to and attending symphonies operas, museum and art exhibits and had a great sense of aesthetics herself.

Born to Czechoslovakian immigrant parents, she was the youngest of seven children. She graduated and trained at Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing; then worked at Lenox Hill Hospital.

The career she was most proud of was working for Dermatologist, Dr. George Andrews, New York City.

She traveled Europe and Guatemala in the 40s, then moved to Santa Monica, CA. Then met her husband, Herbert Holzman, whose Aerospace job took them to Brunswick, Maine, Tacoma Washington, then back to Santa Monica. She continued her work as an RN, working at Saint John’s Hospital and then in the Student Health Immunology Department at UCLA.

After Herb’s passing in 1993, Bea stayed in their home 12 more years, until she decided to join her two daughters in Santa Barbara. Bea lived happily in her apartment, in Maravilla until her passing. Bea is survived by her two daughters, Lisa Holzman James, Myla Holzman Kato, son-in-law, Danny Kato, and granddaughters Isabel Myla James, and Katie Anne James. Bea’s Brother, Daniel Mucica, 97, still lives in Caruthersville, Missouri.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Santa Barbara Visiting Nurses and Hospice Care, 805-965-5555.