Verbal Lonnie Holcomb Jr.

Lonnie was born August 13, 1946 in Miami, OK to Verbal (‘Verb’) and Betty (Mills) Holcomb. He grew up in Miami and later moved to Arizona and then to San Bernardino, California. He graduated from Pacific High School in 1964 where he earned several awards as a member of the wrestling team. He then attended San Bernardino Valley College until his enlistment in the Air Force in 1967. In 1967, he and Meta married in Pasadena as he began his military service.

Lonnie was a veteran of the US Air Force. Following basic training at Lackland AFB in Texas, he was stationed at Fairchild AFB in Spokane, WA, where he served during the Vietnam War as a Survival Instructor at the SERE training facility in the rank of Staff Sargent. His responsibility was to train airmen in survival strategies as they prepared to deploy to hostile areas. He was soon promoted to an Instructor of Instructors, a position for which only the best were chosen.

Following his discharge in 1970, Lonnie attended Spokane Falls Community College for a short time before returning to California. Upon his return to California, he began a 30 year career with California Portland Cement Co. (CPC) where his Dad also worked. Lonnie worked his way up to Supervisor where he was responsible for the shipping department at the Colton plant until his retirement in February 2002.

Lonnie loved golf and began playing in tournaments with fellow CPC employees. When he retired from CPC in 2002, he took up the Game “almost” full time. He became a member of the Eaton Canyon Golf Club in Pasadena, serving several terms as President, Membership Chair, Tournament Chair and other positions. He also served on several committees and worked especially hard on the recent successful campaign to Save Eaton Canyon Golf Course. He was also a member of several other local courses and played in a Senior League in recent years. One of his proudest achievements was a Hole-In-One on July 1, 2009.

Lonnie was a proud member of the Billy Holcomb Chapter of E Clampus Vitus and participated in many Clamper Doin’s, often traveling to local historical sites to build stone markers with plaques commemorating historically significant facts and events about a place. These were not random camping trips. Each one involved much preparation and research resulting in a “red book” of historical information.

Lonnie was also an avid hunter and fisherman. His most recent trip was fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Other favorite spots included Alaska and several local hunting areas. He enjoyed annual trips where he was able to spend time with his Buddies doing what he loved and some relaxing downtime to indulge his lifelong love of reading.

Not least of his accomplishments was Tijuana Total Return, an investment club he co-founded on May 1, 1987. Starting with a small core-group of eight investor-friends, the club grew in both value and membership and now, at 35 members, includes children and grandchildren. He was very proud of this financial legacy.

Lonnie is survived by his wife, Meta (Mondorf); daughters Stephanie Holcomb, Annemarie Holcomb, Lisa (Holcomb) Hernandez (Joseph), son Shawn McMains, and Lisa and Joseph’s children: Ashton, Elias, Zachary, and Makayla. He is also survived by an aunt, uncles, cousins and many extended family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, Lonnie requested donations may be made to:

• Villa Esperanza Adult Day Program

2116 E. Villa St.

Psadena, CA 91107

626/449-2919

626/398-4435

Attn: Mr. Darryll Goodus, Director

Villa Esperanza Adult Day Program

• Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center

[Partners in Lifelong Support for People with Developmental Disabilities]

HelpFund

c/o Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center

3303 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 700

Los Angeles, CA 90010

Contact: Karem Chacana, 213/252-4924

Donations can be made by check or online at https://lanterman.org/donate

• Or to a charity of your choice that would honor his memory

Memorial Service arrangements are pending and will be announced on Facebook when finalized.