John A. HOLMES

HOLMES, EMERSON, SHANKS, BRADEN, MINKOFF, SHOVEIN, ELIASON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/15/2011 at 12:20:53

January 27, 1973 --- March 10, 2011

CLEAR LAKE, IA - John A. Holmes, 80, of Clear Lake, formerly Hudson, died Thursday, March 10, 2011, in Mason City. Visitation will be Monday, March 14, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, with a time of sharing at 6:30 p.m. Celebration of his life will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 15, at the Hudson Community Church, Hudson. Family suggests memorials to John A. Holmes Memorial Fund.

John was born Jan. 27, 1931, on the family farm in rural Dows, Wright County, the son of Oscar and Ruth (Emerson) Holmes. He graduated from Dows High School, Iowa State University and University of Northern Iowa, where he received his Masters in Education. John served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. He married Virginia "Ginger" Shanks Feb. 22, 1959, in Rudd. John dedicated many years to education. He began teaching agriculture in Rudd in 1958 and came to Hudson in the fall of 1960, working at Hudson Community Schools as teacher, guidance counselor, coach and high school principal. In the early 1970s John went to Hawkeye Institute of Technology as Director of Health Programs. John committed himself to expanding and enhancing the quality of health programs. He enjoyed retirement beginning in 1993.

John was a member of the First Congregational Church, Clear Lake. While living in Hudson he was a member of the Hudson Community Church. He lived his deep faith; serving the church in a variety of capacities including as president of the church council. His community involvement included terms on the school board and Hudson City Council. He was currently a member of the Harbourage Board of Directors. He loved watching athletic and cultural events of all kinds, especially when it involved his children and grandchildren or Iowa State. He held Cyclone football season tickets for several decades. Still the real twinkle in his eye appeared when he spoke of his family. John dedicated himself to creating quality time in all factors of his life; work, pleasure, family, church and friends.

John is survived by his wife Ginger of Clear Lake; two children, Linda Braden and her husband Reed of Hudson and Michael Holmes and his wife Janine Shovein of Shakopee, Minn.; five grandchildren, Adam Braden, Amy (Braden) Minkoff and her husband Mike, and Andrew Braden, Ian Holmes and Anna Holmes; one great-grandson, Easton Minkoff; one brother, Charles Holmes and his wife Leola of Dows; one sister, Mary Eliason of Clarion; mother-in-law, Careldena Shanks of Rudd; and several nieces and nephews. John was preceded in death by his parents; one brother-in-law, Bill Eliason; and his father-in law, Roger Shanks.

Mason City Globe Gazette -- Iowa
March 13, 2011