Ed was born in Stamford, Connecticut to George Schuyler and Anna (Walker) Holmes of Glenbrook, Connecticut. He graduated from Kings School in Stamford, Connecticut in 1964. In 1970 he received a B.S. in Meteorology from Belknap College in Center Harbor, New Hampshire. He was Captain of the college volunteer fire department. He joined the Air Force in 1970 and retired in 1990. He married Diane (Appleby) Holmes of Merced on October 10, 1970 in Massachusetts. They were married 23 years and raised 3 children together, remaining friends. During his Air Force Career He was a B-52 Pilot/Instructor. He flew these planes for 20 years, 10 of those years residing in Wurtsmith AFB, Oscoda, Michigan and 10 years at Castle AFB, Atwater, California. He also flew from Guam over the East Asian territory after the cease-fire in Vietnam and Laos wars. Ed received the Outstanding Airmanship Award in 1984 after safely landing his B-52 plane after 5 out of 8 engines lost power. Upon retiring from the Air Force he was a computer programmer for Merced County.
Ed is survived by his daughter, Sandee Smith of Merced, sons Brock Holmes of Modesto, Robert Holmes of Salt Lake City, Utah and his wife of 23 years Diane. He is also survived by his sister Betty Jane Liberty (Alan) of Bethel, Connecticut, 4 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild, as well as 5 nieces and nephews.
Besides flying, Ed enjoyed playing with his N gauge railroad, electronics and reading math books for leisure to increase his math skills. He built the family’s first color television.
An Orthodox Christian Panikhida (Memorial) will be conducted on Thursday, July 8, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox Church at 1635 Shaffer Road, Atwater, California. After the Panikhida, military honors will be conducted the followed by a luncheon. The family hopes that those who remember Ed will share their memories of him during the luncheon.
Donations to the Heart Association or Veterans Administration in lieu of flowers are appreciated.
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