James L Holt Sr.

Survivors include wife Martha, three children, Linda H Winand, Brenda H Mateer, and James L (Chip) Holt, Jr., sister, Rebecca Thornley, four step children, Alva Harper, Joe Goodwin, Daryl Goodwin, and Tom Goodwin. There are numerous grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, and great grandchildren.

Viewing will be Tuesday, September 10, at Ridout’s Trussville Chapel, from 6pm until 8pm. Memorial Service at Ridout’s on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at 10:00am. Internment at Forest Hills Cemetery following the service.

Donations in lieu of flowers to www.alzfdn.org.

Submitted by his children.

Dad was proud of his three children, and at different times in our lives, each one presumed to have been the favorite. He was very strict, and usually the answer was “no” to anything we asked about - going out, going skating, going to the movies, dating, exception to curfew, and drive in movies. Drive in movies always led to pre-marital relations. Dad was always working, providing for his family, and wore several uniforms during his life. Each was worn with pride and dignity.

Dad had several careers, in that each of his jobs was regarded as such. The longest was the 25 years on the Police Department for the City of Birmingham. As children, we felt proud and superior to others in that our Dad was a policeman. At the police department, he did many things, from patrolman to detective and also being the dispatcher for the police department, in the days prior to technology and computerized communication. He had a very strong dislike for anything that resembled computerization or technology. We children reminisce about the simplicity that he demanded. Any automobile he ever bought, he insisted that there were no power windows, locks, radio, or anything automated. If there was a radio….take it out… He did finally accept seat belts. He would try to dismantle or remove anything electronic, until at last, there were no longer station wagons or pickup trucks with removable radios, manual windows or door locks. He never used electronic door openers, trunk openers, or locking remotes, but promptly removed them from the key ring.

This had nothing to do with his love of travel, and up until he stopped, would not drive on the interstate unless there was no other way. We can use the word “preference” in describing his feelings over driving, versus flying. 100 miles or 5,000 miles, he’s driving. Given his exceptionally keen sense of recall and number association, he was really a walking atlas, and could provide highway numbers, intersection names, restaurant and gas stations with clean restrooms, even the names of waiters, waitresses, or managers, for wherever you were travelling.

But back to the police department…Dad had an exciting and eventful time. Spearheading moonshine busts, and upholding the law, he was recognized on several occasions for ending some of the largest, oldest and highest producing stills around Birmingham. Dad looked great in his uniform, was physically handsome, and always groomed down to the spit-shined shoes (that was one thing Brenda loved to do). Having all these great qualities and looks, he was the first dispatcher featured in the Birmingham News, when dispatching became somewhat automated. How ironic that he had a full page picture standing at the new equipment, smiling as though he was pleased to introduce and operate the first automated system. We recall the days of listening to him on the police scanner, and the call letters…K-I-B-6-6-4. We weren’t sure what that meant, but Dad had to say it frequently on the radio.

More about automation and technological advances….it was windup up clocks for Dad, as his “preference” versus LED, battery operated, or electric. We were pleased several years ago, that finally, we found a wind up clock for a birthday present…(before Amazon, of course).

I guess cable television falls under the heading of technology and automation. Cable was a must, as Martha, who had single-handedly, put her children through college….but not just any… the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa….was a football fan. Even at approaching 90, she appreciates Alabama football. So, they had to have at least basic cable. But with some of those other stations available, Dad was continuously trying to get the FCC and his State Representative to offer a more select programming option….basically, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Lawrence Welk, with Alabama football for Martha. That was it…that would be the complete line up…and Dad, on several occasions, and within several pages, often voiced his opinion and wanted everything else off his television station choices. Martha also had to watch the Braves, every day, every play, and every game. So Dad modified his request to have the above mentioned, but also the Braves on his cable channels.

Dad ran away from home to Denver, Colorado at age 17 or 18 and worked for the railroad in some capacity with package handling. It is more than rumor that he lived on a ranch, became acquaintances with, and had some shooting lessons from Frank James. Perhaps this was his first introduction to the West. He was gone a year or two, before returning to Alabama, when he joined the Army. He served during the German air lift, and we do not know to this day how Dad was transported. We cannot imagine him flying and being conscious at the same time.

Dad loved to hunt deer and elk. As children, we knew that two weeks every year, he went to Wyoming and Colorado, (driving, of course), to hunt. He must have been a pretty good shot, because we always had a freezer full of meat from those trips. He loved the West, and was able to enjoy several trips up through his 70s, to visit Linda at her horse ranch in Scottsdale, AZ. The drive to and from Birmingham sometimes exceeded the number of days he stayed, but he loved going. Martha indulged his “preference” of driving, rather than flying.

Other careers included working for and retiring from Alabama Power Company, as a right of way agent, and for Miller Steam Plant, assistant chief of Security.

Dad worked for 12 or 15 years for SouthTrust Bank on Morris Avenue, guarding the “snorkel”. Known as the snorkel, it was the first drive-up banking widow downtown. Dad would never use the snorkel. We refer to it today as the drive up window where you send the canister shooting over or under the ground.

According to Dad, one should never trust such as apparatus. Your money might get stuck. While Dad provided security to the bank at the snorkel, we think he was also guarding your money from the snorkel monster, to make sure it was received by the teller at the other end.

Let’s talk about gas stations. Never once would dad “pay at the pump”. He would go inside, display his credit card of 54 years, and assume the clerk would be impressed as he would certainly not trust such a transaction to gas pump automation.

We believe a lot of ladies found Dad especially favorable, but there were only two with whom he decided to nest. The first wife of 23 years, Sara, died at age 49. The second marriage to wife, Martha, still surviving, lasted almost 40 years. Martha, with four grown children of her own, was the apple of his eye for these past 40 years, and the look in his eyes when they were together, was always one of endearing love and adoration. Martha complimented his life, and let’s say, smoothed out some of the “rough edges” and any…well most of his bad habits theretofore known. Martha is a beautiful woman, dedicated to Dad and family. She brought grace and love, strength and loyalty back to Dad’s life. He is still in love with her. There is so much to say about their years together….and we continue to say….God Bless Martha!

Back to careers, as transportation manager for Ivan Leonard Chevrolet….boy, was Dad in his element. Transferring vehicles from dealer to dealer, trips were 60 to 600 miles. Always checking the fluids from just serviced vehicles, he would take off on a new path or familiar route. GPS, of course, was not in his vocabulary. One gift we always knew would be appreciated was the latest Atlas. Dad always collected maps from different states, and when visiting us, whether we needed it or not, we got a map of Alabama (we all have at least four), Mississippi, or even Iowa if he had been there. This was, of course, in the day when maps were complimentary from the gas station.

We would be remiss not to mention here the yet-to-come Olympic sanctified sport of buffet eating. Until we were old enough to read, we thought there was always a four plate minimum for buffets and all you can eat outings. This does not count the “are you going to eat that” bite or two from someone at the table who was obviously not yet skilled in the four plate minimum requirement. We were told that we must get our money’s worth, and even as pre-teens, assumed that meant at least four trips.

With all his jobs and duties, we say that Dad was never at Chip’s football game or sporting events, Brenda’s softball tournaments, band, track, and majorette performances, and Linda’s beauty pageants band competitions, majorette, and drama performances. She was the senior beauty in 1969 at Woodlawn high school, competed in the Miss Alabama pageant (top ten). Dad was outside in the parking lot, working security. He was always working extra jobs, providing security at one event or another. These funded our activities, and while we missed him, realize that we were able to do these things, because of his work ethic.

With all the career jobs, Dad was still actually handy with tools and building stuff. We laid bricks in front of the house, he built a garage, could do some work on cars, and build benches and work tables.

Dad also preferred that we not play in the front yard, or practice our marching band or football moves, or practice twirling the baton….on the grass… that was back yard stuff. The yard had to be mowed in such a way as to not leave any lines as if you switched patterns or directions when mowing.

We never saw any weeds at their house, but were certain that at one time, there was a huge infestation. Dad was always “pulling weeds”, even after the yard had been cut and edged.

Linda and Brenda moved away, and Martha’s children were in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Alva, Joe, Daryl and Tom were always good to Dad, thoughtful, caring, and concerned.

Less than a year ago, things changed for both Dad and Martha. Parkinson’s set in for Dad, and he needed more care than could be provided at home. Martha and Dad separately and simultaneously fell victim to Dementia/Alzheimer’s and a decline more rapid than one could imagine took place. As grown children with children and grandchildren, we jointly and collectively shared responsibilities, thoughts, and prayers in facing the physical and emotional challenges for Dad’s care and quality of life, and continue to do so in facing the challenges for Martha.

With nearly all other family members living out of state, Chip became the primary overseer of his care while at Village of Cook Springs Skilled Nursing Facility. He assumed this new role with the same integrity and ethic he had learned from Dad. Honorable mention goes to Regenia Keith, who so selflessly and lovingly supported Chip and Dad with her kindness and care. Children from both sides of the family rallied to lend whatever support they could. Sister Becky Thornley would visit as she could.

For Dad, the physical and mental impairment seemed to idle from last November until two weeks ago. There were complications from internal blood loss, and his body was too weak to undergo any serious testing. He died peacefully on Saturday, with family members by his side.

For the family members, he is survived by three children, four stepchildren, a sister, nieces and nephews on both sides, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Each group of step children always referred to the other as Jim’s children, or Martha’s children. We all came together to make decisions about their joint and separate needs this last year.

Dad’s was not one to openly discuss religion or beliefs. Martha and he attended church in Bessemer for years until it closed. They then attended Pleasant Hill Methodist Church, McCalla, Alabama. Whatever relationship he has with the Lord, it is between those two, but we can earnestly say he was never late for anything. We love him and will miss him.