William Holmes

Funeral services will be on Friday, January 5, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at McGilley Midtown Chapel, 20 W. Linwood Blvd. KCMO 64111, with visitation at 9:30a.m. prior to service. Burial will follow in Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth, KS.

Mr. Holmes was born on January 9, 1920 in West Palm Beach, FL to Charles and Maria Holmes. The family moved to Nassau, Bahamas, his father’s home, when he was very young. There he worked as a headmaster in the Bahamas Educational System, having received his teaching certificate from Cambridge University, England.

He served in the U.S. Army in WWII and attended officer candidate school at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.

Upon his discharge from the military, he entered the postal service as a railway mail clerk. After 40 years of service, he retired in January 1987 as manager, mail processing at the Kansas City, Kansas Post Office.

For many years he served as a member of the adjunct faculty of the Kansas City Kansas Community College in the Business Division. He also served on several advisory boards during his tenure there.

He is predeceased by his wife of 51 years, Nellie Guest Holmes; his son, William Lloyd Holmes; his parents; and brothers, Charles, Kenneth and Paul.

He leaves to mourn his passing 3 daughters, Renee S. Gardner (Richard), Edmond, OK, Marie A. Holmes and Lela G. Cayton of KC; 3 grandchildren, Richard Gardner, Jr., Anthony Gardner, and Alexis Cayton; and 3 great-grandchildren who called him great pa-pa, Garyn Gardner, Jayce Gardner and Santana Walker; and the Cayton/Hawk Family.

There are also many special friends and neighbors who must be mentioned: Mary McKinney, who cared for him in his home before his final decline, the Winston family, who were more like family than neighbors, Thomas Benton, who has known us all since we were born and became a surrogate father to us, Mildred Parker, who served as his postal secretary but became his lifelong friend, and last but not least, Garden Terrace for taking such excellent care of our father. We thank you all for being there when “Dads” needed help.

Contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, 3846 W. 75th St., Prairie Village, KS 66208.