John W. Holt Obituary – It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of John William Holt II on February 12, 2024. He was 88 years old. Congratulations were in order for the Holt family as they welcomed their son into the world on December 10th, 1935 in Falls City, Nebraska. His parents, John William and Juanita McClain, were extremely happy to welcome him into the world. When John graduated from Soldan Belwett High School in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1953, he was the member of the senior class that held the position of president. On a few instances, John was known by the name “Skip,” and he was successful in obtaining his diploma.
He joined the Navy Reserve when he was a senior in high school while he was still in high school. Beginning his academic career at Harris-Stowe Teachers College in St. Louis, John went on to pursue further education at various institutions. After completing his undergraduate degree in the United States, he went back to the United States to receive a degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska in the year 1960. The two years that he spent working as an admiral’s staff on a navy flagship were followed by his return to the United States to complete his degree. In a short period of time following that, John was chosen to work as a reporter for the Amarillo Daily News. Immediately following that, he started working as a reporter for the Oklahoma City Times, where he covered the operations of the state government, particularly the Department of Transportation.
Following that, the Highway Department gave him the position of spokesperson for the Highway Department. Following his resignation from his previous position, he assumed the function of a spokesperson and public relations supervisor for a number of companies that were involved in the energy industry. A number of these businesses were headquartered in the state of Kansas, including Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation, Occidental Petroleum, Williams Companies, Cities Services Gas Company, and a few more. During the middle of the 1980s, John decided to strike out on his own and establish a business that he named Yard Gard. In addition, he had a strong interest in other activities, such as serving as president and treasurer of the Sunday School class, the Lakeview Neighborhood Association, and the Oklahoma Chapter of the University of Nebraska Alumni.
He was also quite involved in other organizations. The Wesley Methodist Church was the location where they exchanged their vows and became husband and wife in the year 1967. In addition, Lois, John’s wife and partner for the subsequent 56 years, was present for the event. Given that he has three holes in one in his game, it is obvious that he enjoys playing golf. Activities like as gardening, sailing, tennis, snow skiing, and bowling were some of his favorite things to do in his leisure time. Aside from that, he was an enthusiast of snow skiing. John was involved in a wide variety of sporting activities, including coaching youth teams in the sports of football, basketball, and baseball. The whole family, even the dogs, eagerly anticipated their yearly trip to Cuchara, Colorado, where they could relax, read, go fishing, and go hiking. This trip was a tradition that they all looked forward to. John’s children, Kirk and Brian, as well as his wife, Lois, are among the individuals who have been able to maintain their lives after his passing.