William Lynn Buddy Holdaway was born on April 12, 1990 to Brian Lynn Holdaway and Kimberly Dawn Conklin in Jacksonville, Florida. From birth, his eyes and smile would light up a room. His sister, Amanda, was born just two years later and a lifetime friendship began. As a child, he was a handful in all the good and exhausting ways. Their playful childhood antics only got worse when their two younger brothers, BJ and Cale, were born. In 2009 William welcomed his youngest brother Scott into his world. William took his role as big brother as seriously as William could take a role with such importance. William loved to play jokes and pranks on his siblings and parents. This continued into his adulthood as well.
As a teenager, William and Amanda moved to Michigan to live with their dad and their new bonus-mom, Brandi. He was enrolled into Flat Rock High School where he found his passion for photography while taking yearbook. He also joined band and color guard which allowed him to show off his rockstar skills. He joined baseball and has had an extreme passion for it his whole life.
In 2008, after William graduated from high school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corp. He wanted to be a combat videographer and photographer. He had a passion for it since the very first picture he ever took. Over the years, he was able to capture life, love, and breathtaking memories while being stationed all over the world.
While stationed in South Carolina, William met the mother of his children Nikki. Within two years, William became a father for the first time to Eyan Lynn Buddy Holdaway. A couple years later, William became a father for the second time to Owen Kai Holdaway. Even though photography was his first passion, fatherhood quickly replaced it. There was never a time when William was with the boys or he was simply talking about the boys that he did not have a smile on his face. Eyan and Owen were the world to him.
William loved animals. Sometimes too much and would take on more than he could handle while serving in the military. While in Maryland, he had a small one-bedroom apartment where he housed two dogs and several ducks.
William loved to drive his vehicles in places he shouldn’t and would get stuck all he time. There were several times vehicles had to be replaced due to his love of mudding. He loved the outdoors, soft ball, fishing, bond fires, and late night drives down back roads.
William loved playing softball. He also loved to design using his artistic nature. Combining the two, he started his own freelance design company called “Yeah Yeah Designs.” There were several teams that he designed the jerseys for.
In 2019, he met his fiancé, Kylee and future daughter RaeLynn. They had an instant connection with each other and knew that they wanted to spend a lifetime together. Both Kylee and RaeLynn now completed Williams universe. They shared so much laughter and love between them. When the boys, Eyan and Owen came to stay with them it was a perfect and happy full house.
They were a family.
William had this way of making people feel loved, important, special, and all around happy. He knew how to cheer people up….from simply giving a hug, lending an ear, or putting on some overalls and playing pranks. He was a pretty boy, loved him some wine, and had an outfit for everything.
William left this world on May 14, 2020. He left his loved ones with a void that will forever be filled with his memories. William would not want you to mourn, but to honor his memory by remembering all of the happy times. Let his smile and laughter carry you through the dark times and be a beacon of light.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.5