Dr. Herbert Allen Holden

Herbert A. Holden, M.D. was born on January 7th 1920 at the Hinsdale Sanitarium of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Illinois, the only child of William Henry and Sadie Holden. At the time of his birth his father was the President of the Illinois Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Herb’s childhood was primarily spent in Berrien Springs, Michigan where his father had been transferred as President of the Lake Union Conference of Seventh Day Adventist Church. He attended school in Berrien Springs from the 4th grade through two years of college at what is Andrews University. His final two years of undergraduate studies were completed at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Herb was steeped in a culture of service and dedication to faith and values. His mother was adamant that the only acceptable professions were a minister, teacher or doctor. Doctor it was!

In the fall of 1939, at the age of eighteen, Herb began his studies at Loma Linda University Medical School in California, graduating in 1944. Upon leaving medical school Herb entered the U.S. Navy serving as a Lieutenant. His first year of military service was served as an intern at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Farragut, Idaho (a 5,000 bed hospital treating patients with acute diseases including pneumonia and meningitis).

In 1945 Dr. Holden was assigned to a The Sea Partridge, an ocean liner put into service with the military to transport 3,000 troops and 50 corpsmen to Okinawa and the Philippines. These were unique times for 25-year-old new doctor. In the seas off Okinawa a Kamikaze pilot hit a ship in his convoy. Given the shortages of supplies during wartime, Herb removed the appendix of a young soldier using open drop ether as anesthesia.

Upon discharge from the Navy in 1949, Dr. Holden joined the busy O.B. practice of Dr. Raleigh Brines in Santa Barbara, California. He left a year later to establish a family practice with his medical school colleague, Michael Corbett and his partner Dr. John Simpkin. Finding this busy practice focused on women and children very satisfying, he served the San Leandro community for 45 years, until 1995.

Early in his practice of medicine Dr. Holden became a leader in the medical community. Partnering with several other young physicians they established and developed a badly needed 100 bed general hospital, Doctors Hospital of San Leandro, which was later acquired by the Humana hospital organization.

As his local practice thrived in San Leandro, Dr. Holden became increasingly involved in medical politics.

Dr. Holden retired to Palm Desert in 1995 and enjoyed golf, travelling, family and his faith. Dr. Holden passed away on August 8th, 2016 in Rancho Bernardo, California.

He is survived by four daughters: Carol Promessi (Phil), Lisa Gilardi (Jim), Ardythe Warren (Darren) and Susan Holden, eight grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren and five great great grandchildren.

Dr. Holden’s professional accomplishments included: 1948 President San Leandro Kiwanis Club, 1960 First Chief of Staff at Doctors Hospital San Leandro, 1969 President of Alameda – Contra Costa Medical Association, 1967 President of California Academy of General Practice, 1974 National President of the 60,000 member American Academy of Family Practice, 1974 National President of the certifying Board of Family Physicians. Also Member of the AMA Delegation from California, Director of Blue Shield – Member Medical Liability Commission, Director of the American Board of Family Practice and a Member of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies.

Internment will be at Montecito Memorial Park, Colton, California on Monday, August 15th, 2016 at 1:00pm. A private reception will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Palm Springs, 620 S Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA 92223