Gary Ray Holt

Born on September 27, 1940 to Alton Ray Holt and Beulah Mae Snapp Holt, Gary was raised in the mountains of east Tennessee in the town of Newport. He graduated from Cocke County High School in 1958 and completed a biology major from Tennessee Wesleyan College in 1962. He married Glenda Brewer, his wife of 58 years, the summer after college graduation, and they moved to Hampton, Virginia to both teach for the Hampton City Public Schools System.

Gary taught for 37 years in these Hampton schools: Jefferson Davis Middle School 1962-72, Hampton High School 1972-98 and Hampton Christian Schools 1998-99. His favorite grade / subject to teach was 10th grade biology. Gary was one of twelve teachers on the east coast to win a full scholarship to the University of Virginia to earn a master’s degree in science education. He mostly loved patiently explaining hard concepts for young people and others to understand.

Gary’s life involved service. He was a deacon, Sunday School Superintendent, Sunday School teacher, children’s church worker and bus ministry captain in these churches: Orcutt Baptist Church, Newport News; Bethel Baptist Church, Hampton and Faith Free Will Baptist Church, Carrollton. In his post retirement years, Gary enjoyed being the Friday woodcarving volunteer at the DeWitt Cottage in Virginia Beach. He enjoyed his family, school family, church family and extended neighbors and friends. Helping others brought him great joy and purpose.

Gary was an avid reader, and he would readily state that anything can be learned from a book. He and his wife enjoyed gardening. They potted, planted and maintained numerous pots of flowers in the front yard of their Village Green home for more than 53 years. He loved carving, painting and designing the details for miniature songbirds and duck decoys that was an award-winning hobby for his spare time. The most important decision that Gary made was accepting Jesus as his personal Savior at the age of 30.

Gary leaves to remember and honor his life a wife of 58 years, Glenda Brewer Holt; a daughter and son-in-law, Gloria & Nolan Rudisill of Hampton, VA; a son and daughter-in-law, Greg & Cara Holt of Gloucester, VA; a brother and sister-in-law, Richard & Linda Holt of Newport, TN; a niece and nephew-in-law, Wendy & Tony Ford of Newport, TN with their children, Lauren and Chandler and a nephew and niece-in-law, Justin & Elizabeth Holt of Maynardville, TN.

Visitation will be held Monday, May 24th at 10:00 AM at Bethel Baptist Church, 1647 Briarfield Road, Hampton, VA 23666. The funeral will follow at 11:00 AM at the church.

Condolences may be sent to 5004 Goldsboro Dr., Hampton, VA 23605; 5484 Mystical Lane, Gloucester, VA 23061 and 619 Old Sevierville Hwy., Newport, TN 37821.

Donations in Gary R. Holt’s memory may be made to the Bob Jones University Together Scholarships Fund, 1700 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville, SC 29614 or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101-9929.