James Henry Holve

James Henry Holve was born on August 26, 1934 in Anaheim, California to Alfred A. & Susanna Holve. He grew up on a citrus ranch at the corner of Euclid & Katella. He attended Anaheim High School where he was active in football, basketball and band. He graduated in 1952 and went on to UCLA where he majored in General Engineering, played football and was a member of Alph Zeta Fraternity. He transferred to UC Davis as a senior where he played football and took courses in Agricultural Engineering. While interning with Shell Oil Company in Ripon, California, he met Helen Maley at First Christian Church in Modesto. They were married in 1958 and were married for 59 years until Helen’s passing in 2017.

After college, Jim joined his father’s citrus and olive farming business in Lindsay, California and there, he and Helen raised three children, Sheryl, Tim and Sandra. He farmed for almost 30 years and at the same time managed the family’s commercial property in Anaheim. In 1987, he purchased and remodeled several rental properties in Lindsay and Exeter. He also purchased 3 self-serve car washes and began perfecting custom vending machines and security cages for his car washes and eventually selling his inventions to other car wash owners. His company, Big Eagle Enterprises, was in operation until 2020 and he was known in the car wash industry for dressing as Uncle Sam (starting just after 9/11) at car wash shows across the country. He enjoyed wine tasting, genealogy, traveling, Dixieland Jazz and classical music and was active at First Presbyterian Church of Lindsay and the Rotary Club there.

In October of 2020, he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and received chemo for 2 months after which his AML was declared “in remission”. He moved to Templeton and for the next 4 years, he zip-lined on his birthdays, traveled to Germany, organized a family reunion and celebrated his 90th birthday.

He was active in Templeton Presbyterian Church and Rotary Club of Templeton.

He is predeceased by his wife, Helen and is survived by his children, Sheryl (Steve) DeWitt, Timothy Holve and Sandra (Patrick) O’Meara. His grandchildren, Jeremy & Wesley DeWitt, Grant & Morgan Holve, Cady (O’Meara) Johnson, Meaghan (O’Meara) Sumner and Mitchell O’Meara and his great-grandchildren Harper, Ryleigh, Jace, Asher and Millie.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at Templeton Presbyterian Church, 610 Main Street, Templeton at 1 pm with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Rotary Club of Templeton or Templeton Presbyterian Church.