The good news is that it is normal for older holly leaves to yellow and be shed in the spring. The tree does look thin and stressed however.

If the tree was full of leaves and those lower bare branches were healthy and pruned back and left long for re-growth that is good. (If they were dead, it would be better to prune back all the way to the trunk.) Holly are one of the few evergreens that can produce new green growth from woody areas. Watch for a new flush of green leaves this spring.

The tree trunk base looks like old damage that it has tried to heal. There is not much you can do about that.

To help your tree along we suggest clearing the area beneath the tree of competition from weeds and the vinca vines growing there. Give it a mulch layer no more than 3-4 inches deep, and keep it pulled back from being in contact with the trunks.l

Be sure to water it slowly and deeply in times of drought, or when we don't get at least an inch of rain a week. You can put a tuna can nearby to measure rainfall, and dump it each week.

Hopefully your tree will flush with new growth this spring and continue to remind you of your dear father. 

Christine