Doris C Holmes

Doris Charlotte Kolb Holmes passed on to be with the Lord on May 2, 2018, at age 96. A memorial service will be held on Monday, May 7, at 12 p.m., at Sparkman-Hillcrest, 7405 West Northwest Highway in Dallas.

Doris was born February 10, 1922, in Alanreed, Texas, to J.W. and Bertha Kolb. She was an extremely talented musician who was successful in many piano and violin competitions, and in 1936, was selected to perform in a mass piano concert at the Centennial State Fair of Texas. She earned a bachelor's degree in English from Texas Tech and a master's in music from the University of Texas. She taught music at both colleges and at the primary school level in Lubbock, was organist at First Christian Church of Lubbock for several years, and performed with the Texas Tech and Lubbock Symphony Orchestras.

Doris met Austin-American journalist Sam F. Holmes, Jr., in Austin at a church watermelon party in 1946 when working on her master's degree. They married in 1947 and moved to Dallas where she taught private piano and organ lessons, filled in as organist for several area churches, taught music at Obadiah Knight and University Park Elementary Schools, and played the violin with Ye Merry Olde Players, a retired teachers' orchestra.

Doris' marriage to Sam was long, loving, and entertaining. Over their 64 years together, she and Sam performed musical programs for many organizations, recordings from which they made CDs that friends and family cherish. Sam took great pride in Doris' musical talent and creative endeavors, while Doris was a staunch supporter of Sam when he was a reporter and business editor at the Dallas Morning News, during his career at First National Bank and through his countless tennis matches. Both were devoted members of East Dallas Christian Church, and the Sanders Class, which they joined in 1947.

In her spare time, Doris enjoyed oil painting and was a good household electrician and carpenter. She created the choir boys decoration that could be seen in front of their house each Christmas season for over 40 years and was famous for her peanut brittle, snickerdoodles, masterpiece crafts and dry wit.

Doris was predeceased by her parents, husband Sam, brothers Weldon and Walter, and sisters Theta and Coren Kolb. Doris is survived by daughter Charlotte Davis of Hurst and son Charles Holmes and wife Deborah of Garland; grandchildren Jonathan Davis and wife Diane of Clear Lake, Susanne Garza and husband Mike of Hurst, Grant Holmes and wife Kari of Rockwall, and Carson Holmes and wife Gina of Garland; great-grandchildren Ian and Isaac Davis and Carter, Avery, and Preston Holmes.

A memorial service will be held at the Northwest Highway Chapel at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 W. Northwest Highway, Dallas, TX 75225, on Monday, May 7th, at 12pm, with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to East Dallas Christian Church, 629 N. Peak St., Dallas, TX 75246, 214-824-8185.