John Kelly Holt was born April 28, 1958. He was adopted by John T. Holt (JT) and Thelma Holland Holt in Sherman, Texas. His mom and their family provided him a strong foundation for his love of family and GOD that guided him in his life. He accepted Christ as his personal Savior at an early age as a member of Greater New Hope Baptist Church. John attended the Sherman area schools. As a Sherman High School student, he was on the basketball team and student body president. After graduating from Sherman High in 1976 he attended the University of Texas in Austin. He pledged Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity at the UT Epsilon Chapter in 1977. He loved to sing and was a member of the UT Innervisions Gospel Choir. John met the love of his life, Yolanda Phelps, at UT. He graduated from Texas in Spring 1980 with a B.S. in Advertising.
John and Yolanda united in marriage on January 2, 1982 in Houston, Texas. After relocating with jobs they landed in Dallas, Texas in 1988. He began his career in Wine and Spirits Sales around that time. John immersed himself and developed his expertise in wine products and history. Their first child Rose Lorene was born in 1991. He traveled in the US and Europe increasing his knowledge and developing very strong relationships in the industry. In 1993, they joined St. Luke United Methodist Church in Dallas under the leadership of Rev. Zan Holmes. John was active in the Male Choir and began to strengthen his Christian walk through small group bible study. On April 22, 1996 their second child Hannah Elise was born. John was heavily involved and supportive of his daughters’ activities. They adored their father christening him “Pooty.” He wanted to make sure they knew they were God’s children first and the importance of family and love. The family joined the Northeast Bible Church in Plano, Texas under the leadership of Pastor Bob Rice. There John was a member of the choir, was in involved in the Men’s ministry, supported the Childrens and Youth ministry, and continued his walk through small group bible study.
Later John and Yolanda returned to Austin in the summer of 2010. John and his family joined Greater Mount Zion Baptist Church. He continued being involved in small group bible study by hosting Circles of Greatness; he also worked with the Student and Marriage Ministries. Most importantly, John loved and supported Yolanda, saw his daughters accept Christ in their life, was able to give Rose away at her wedding to AJ Francois and saw Hannah graduate from high school for college.
John was a wonderful and loved son, husband, father, and friend and will be sorely missed. He was preceded in death by his loving mother, Thelma Lorene Holt, father John Holt, his grandparents Lemmeul and Philadelphia Holland. He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife and best friend, Yolanda Holt, his two daughters, Rose and Hannah, son-in-law, AJ Francois, his aunt, Maude Young “Aunt Pug”, sister-in-law, Desiree Batiste, nephew, Ijumaa Batiste, special cousins and a host of other loving relatives and friends.
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