Nathanial Holsome Sr., passed away peacefully at home in Phoenix, Arizona on March 19, 2019 at 1:30 pm following an extended illness. Born on December 20, 1940 in Las Cruces, New Mexico to the late Samuel Vernon Holsome, a sharecropper and the late Orlean Ramzy-Holsome, a homemaker. To this union, three sons and four daughters were born. His sister, Shirley Helen Ruth Holsome and his brother, Marvin Joe Holsome both preceded him in death.
Nathanial received his early childhood education in Las Cruces, New Mexico and graduated from high school there. He was awarded a football scholarship in Silver City, New Mexico where he played college football. It was in Las Cruces, New Mexico where he met and later married Gloria Ann Patton. To this union three daughters and two sons were born. His son, Kipchoe Holsome, and his daughter, Angela Maria Burton, preceded him in death.
In 1961, Nathanial joined the Army. After the Army, he moved to El Centro, California where his wife and children joined him. While in El Centro, he became a Fire Fighter. The son of a sharecropper, he would always tell the story of him working in the fields with his dad and irrigating the plants late into the night. Nututing his love of agriculture, he attained a certificate in irrigation and became a Master Gardener. He always had a garden in his yard.
In 1973, Nathanial left California and moved his family to Phoenix, Arizona where they joined the Nation of Islam. He started his own lawn service business, “Nate’s Lawn Service” in South Phoenix. He truly relished the friends he made during his time in the business. He also took welding and refrigeration classes earning certificates to further be able to work himself. Nathanial eventually returned to his love of agriculture and his passion for gardening, accepting a job as Maintenance Supervisor and Grounds man overseeing the gardens at the University of Arizona (UofA), an extension this is located in Phoenix, Arizona. He also had a love for talking. He became a member of toastmasters to sharpen his speaking skills. He stayed with the U of A for 19 years until his illness.
Nathanial is survived by his wife of 58 years, Gloria Ann Holsome; his daugthers, Kathy Holsome-Benion, Hanifah Holsome; his son, Nathanial Holsome; his sisters, Kathleen Mary Ann Holsome, Betty Jean Fielder, and Laura Beth Yvonne Taylor; brother Jerry Allen Holsome; his six grandchildren, Ashant’e Jasmin Burton, Walter David Benion Jr., Mikal Dawan Benion, Treshawn Sisk, Natasha Holsome, and Christopher Holsome; his seven grandchildren, Anjheleka Benion, Alaysia Benion, Aliviyah Benion, Davion Benion, Elisea Benion, Emiya Benion, Angela Quinn Burton, and a host of community friends
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