Rebecca Hollister first moved to the Leavenworth area in 2008, when her father’s military career brought the family to Fort Leavenworth. She had a wonderful time on the base and was also enriched by surrounding Leavenworth businesses, including taking lessons at the Tune Shop and attending story time at the Book Barn. Like so many others, her family chose to retire here, and Rebecca attended Leavenworth High School.

After graduating, Rebecca attended college at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., where she majored in Political Economy and Mathematics and minored in Theology. When she came home to Leavenworth for Thanksgiving in the fall of her freshman year, she entered a relationship with her longtime friend and fellow LVHS graduate, Bryce Smith, just before he went to Air Force basic training. Later, Bryce traded an assignment at Ramstein for one at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, so he could see Rebecca more often.

Rebecca spent all of her summers in Leavenworth working on political campaigns, and then was unexpectedly sent home along with all other Georgetown students during the COVID pandemic. It was watching and participating in the community efforts to help fellow neighbors that led Rebecca to realize that her true home was in Leavenworth.

Rebecca got a job right out of college and moved to north Leavenworth, where Bryce soon joined her at the end of his four-year career. Bryce went on to attend the University of Kansas and earn his Bachelors in Electrical Engineering, and Rebecca earned her MBA, also from KU.

Rebecca and Bryce now live in a rental home in Leavenworth with their two cats, Rainbow and Halo. Rebecca is working in Human Resources while Bryce is attending graduate school while working as a research assistant at KU.