Mr. Gary W. Holmes, Sr.

HOLMES, Gary W., Sr., 70, of Mechanicsville, devoted husband, father, grandfather and brother, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, October 19, 2015, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was preceded in death by his parents, Meredith and Dorothy Holmes; brother, Garland; sisters, Gloria Whitehead and Barbara Armstrong; and stepson, Bryan Lloyd. He attended Bacone Junior College and worked in the trucking industry most of his life retiring from Celadon Trucking Co. and then working part time for Dynamex. He was a lifelong sports fan and loved his Virginia Cavaliers and Washington Redskins. He was a dedicated member of New Bridge Baptist Church and participated in UpWard Basketball. He is survived by his devoted wife of 14 years, Cheryl Mahaffey Holmes; sons, Gary W. Jr. (Kathleen) and Lance; daughters, Lisa Colley (Richard) and Dianne Kurtz (Tim); brothers, Herbert, Larry (Mildred), Michael (Anne) and Gordon (Patsy); sisters, Teresa Farrison, Miriam Old Coyote, Margaret Jones (Norman) and Andrea Harris (Robert); grandchildren, Ricky, Kelsey, Hannah Colley, Victoria Kurtz, Zachary, Jaeden, Lance Jr. and Kyson Holmes; great-granddaughter, Olivia Colley; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, October 21, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Nelsen Funeral Home, 4650 S. Laburnum Ave., Richmond. Funeral services will be held Thursday, October 22, at 11 a.m. at New Bridge Baptist Church, 5701 Elko Rd., Sandston. Interment will follow in Washington Memorial Park. The family wishes to thank the medical staff at MCV, and especially Dr. Mark Malkin and Dana Blake for their care, patience and understanding during this difficult journey. They also wish to thank all the caregivers and especially Annie Webb for her devotion to Gary and Cheryl and the Cullather Brain Tumor Quality of Life Center, where donations may be made at 5875 Bremo Rd., Medical Building South, Suite 108, Richmond, Va. 23226. Online condolences may be made at www.nelsenrichmond.com.