One of her favorite characters, Winnie the Pooh perfectly captures the feelings of the friends and family of Dr. Josephine Arredondo Holden, who passed away peacefully on June 9th.
A San Antonio native, “Dr. Josie” graduated from Highlands HS and attended Trinity University, where she received BA degrees in Psychology and Sociology. She then attended the University of Denver on a Danforth Fellowship, obtaining a PhD in Clinical Psychology and becoming one of the first female, Hispanic, PhD-level psychologists in the world.
During her 40 years as a child psychologist, Josie impacted thousands of lives and was widely-known for her compassion for children. Highlights of her career include establishing Barrio Clinic’s mental health component; serving as School Psychologist for Edgewood ISD, San Antonio ISD, and the House of Neighborly Service's KID's PLACE; serving on the John H Wood Charter School Board; and maintaining a robust private practice.
Her kindhearted nature – embodied by her love of characters like Pooh and Charlie Brown – belied a fierce determination to advocate for children in need, and she never hesitated to go to battle with teachers, administrators, and even parents if it gave a child a better chance of success in life.
Josie’s legacy and spirit will live on in the husband, son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and numerous relatives, colleagues, and clients who survive her.
Her husband believes that the entire universe conspired to help him find her. From the moment they met, he loved her. And with never less but that simple, total sense of completion, they loved each other for more than 40 years of life. For the two of them, home was never a place but rather a person: each other. And so it will continue.
Her son Alan will always remember his mother’s unconditional love and how she did everything possible to make sure he was prepared for the world. During his childhood that meant planning summers filled with dozens of camps and cheering loudly at every one of his sporting events. As an adult, it meant sending care packages of Big Red and Marranitos across the country so he could have a taste of home, and spending hours on the phone as a confidante. He always felt like the luckiest son in the world.
And while Josie had just begun life as a grandmother, her presence will always be felt. Her grandson Jordan’s favorite toys are all things she sent him, and she will live on in the way he is raised and taught to treat those around him.
To those who knew her Josie was an angel on earth, fulfilling her purpose by helping those in need. Now, she’ll continue on as an angel in heaven, watching over those she loved and living on through all those whose lives she made better. We will miss her forever, but know she’s never gone.
A visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 at Sunset Funeral Home, 1701 Austin Highway, San Antonio, TX. A Chapel Service will be held on Wednesday, June 13, 2018 at 3:00 pm at funeral home chapel with Interment to follow at Sunset Memorial Park. Expressions of sympathy may be made at www.sunsetfuneralhomesa.com.
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