Carole Joy “CJ” (Holcombe) Colonna, 75, of Sheffield, passed away on December 28, 2024.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 2 at Colbert Memorial Chapel in Tuscumbia. Visitation will be 9:30 – 11 a.m. and service will start at 11 a.m. with Brother Mark Mayfield officiating. A graveside service will follow at Oakwood Cemetery.
CJ was born on December 25, 1949, in Detroit, Michigan, to Rueben Holcombe and Phyllis Stuck. She graduated from Central High School in Florence, Alabama. On September24, 1976, she married Gene Colonna in Florence, Alabama. Throughout her life, she was dedicated small business owner from the late seventies until the early nineties of the popular Chicago Connection Deli both at Southgate Mall and the English Village location which closed its doors in 1996. CJ was also an enthusiastic homemaker, devoting much of her time and energy to raising her two children, Micah and Julie. She was a talented seamstress and could often be found working on her latest project in her sewing and craft room.
Carole was preceded in death by her husband of 46 years, Gene Colonna, her parents, Rueben Holcombe and Phyllis Sharp; her son, Micah Colonna; grandsons, Zeke and Cullen Schultz; and her brothers, Dan Holcombe, Lowell Holcombe, and Hassel Holcombe.
CJ is survived by her daughter, Julie Ann Shultz (Raymond); her grandchildren, Joslyn and Kellyn Shultz, her siblings, Ed Holcombe (Carol) of Florence, Doug Holcombe (Becky) of Olivehill, TN, and David Holt (Lottie) of Mishawaka, IN; and best friend Joyce Montgomery and a host of niece, nephews, and cousins.
Pallbearers will be Eric Holcombe, Richard Holcombe, Everett Holcombe, Jeffrey Holcombe, Jim Holcombe, and Raymond Shultz.
The family of CJ Colonna would like to extend their sincere thanks to the physicians an staff of Helen Keller Hospital’s ER, ambulance service and North Alabama Medical Center’s ER and Critical Care Unit.