Rocky Dean Holmes

Rocky Dean Holmes entered this world on May 23rd, 1939, in Winfield, Texas. He was born the first child to Mary Josephine and Thomas Walton Holmes. Houston, Texas, was his home base for most of his life until he passed into the arms of God on March 15th, 2024.

Rocky graduated from Mount Pleasant High School. He attended The University of Texas at Austin. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from East Texas State University, where he was a proud member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Afterward, he attended graduate school at Texas Tech University and later enjoyed a distinguished career in the chemical industry.

Rocky was passionate about hunting, fishing, country music, homegrown tomatoes, and Texas Longhorn football. He was a voracious reader with a love of history, particularly armed conflict. He was handsome and charming, with a robust catalog of stories. Rocky was a music lover and, in most recent years, enjoyed live concerts in the park or at the market while in beautiful Montana or sitting on his back porch, a glass of wine in hand, taking in the sounds of Patsy, Willie, Don, or Hank. He loved to dance and did so beautifully. He never turned down an opportunity to dance with his beloved Grace, his daughters Molly and Janey, or even his granddaughters. A lover of animals, perhaps through them, he showed his softest side, feeding the birds and squirrels and his beloved cats Natalie, Whiskers, and Ricky. He was the kind of man who found it necessary to remember someone's birthday with a card that arrived on time, followed by a phone call to sing happy birthday. Rocky possessed a larger-than-life personality and a physical build to match. His smile, laughter, and charm gave him a large circle of friends in Houston, Texas, and at his treasured second home in Bigfork, Montana.

Rocky is survived by his devoted and loving wife, Grace Holmes; his loving daughters, Molly Holmes Christie (husband, Michael Christie) and Janey Holmes Korth (husband, Colonel James Korth, USMCR); and stepson, James Bellinger (wife, Missy Bellinger) and his former wife, Carolyn Holmes Monaghan who remained a life-long friend. Rocky also leaves six grandchildren who knew him only as Granddaddy: MaryAnna Bellinger, Rose Bellinger, Fritz Alan Korth III, James Frederick Korth Jr, Charles Walton Sansom Korth, and Augustus Houston Christie. He also leaves behind his brother, Thomas Michael Holmes (wife, Joy). Rocky was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Josephine Houston Holmes, and his father, Thomas Walton Holmes, both from Winfield, Texas. A celebration of life will be held at a later date in both Houston and Bigfork. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to A Shelter for Cancer Families at www.cancerfamilies.org.