Walter Eugene Holmes Jr.

Dateline: George West This great man, our Dad, loving Husband, and Papa, now resides in Heaven with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He left his earthly family to go be with those of family and many friends that went before him. He took with him 97 years of history that began on Feb. 11, 1926, in Comyn, Texas. His dad Walter (Wig) Eugene Holmes, Sr. worked for Humble Pipeline as a pump/compressor Engineer near Byrds. His mom Katie Holmes was a housewife and already a mother to dads' older sister by four years Katie Lee. Dad's younger sister Mary Louise came two years later. This was during the depression years and as a young boy going fishing in the tributaries of Brownwood lake, he brought home lots of perch and catfish. Fishing, hunting, watching football, and reading books were his favorite pastimes. With the latter two still his favorite pastimes just before he became ill three weeks ago. When WWII began, he was just 15 years old and attending Williams High School. He could not wait until he was 18 to join the Army Air Corp during 1944. After completing basics at Camp Bowie, he was assigned and trained to be a tail gunner on the B17 Bomber. After training with his crew was completed, they were sent to Foggia, Italy where he and his crew were assigned to the 15th Air Force Bomber squadron. They flew several missions over Czechoslovakia and Germany bombing fuel depots and munitions factories. After several months the war ended. He came back to the States and was discharged in 1946. A few months later he met our mom Elizabeth Williams at a football game. Their love for each other grew quickly and in three months on Feb. 21, 1947, they were married in Brownwood, Texas. Dad was always an independent businessman. He started a Curtiss Candy route in Stephenville, TX shortly after Rodger was born in 1949. Then in 1953 Teresa was born. Shortly after Larry was born in 1954, dad moved us to Kenedy, TX. where he took over the Morton Foods route which he ran for 15 years. During these years dad managed to acquire property outside of Kenedy, where he built a warehouse for the products he sold out of his Morton Foods truck. Then he built a home for his family and later a membership swimming pool. Across from our home he also built a small trailer/RV Park. Yours truly was the official ditch digger for laying water lines all over the property. During the 15 years on his Morton Food truck, he called on every café and grocery store in Kenedy, Goliad, George West, Three Rivers and every small community in between. During 1969 on opportunity came about for him to buy the Dairy Diner Restaurant in George West. During 1973, after his youngest son Larry graduated from high school in Kenedy, he and mom moved to George West. Dad had acquired more property on the next block from the Dairy Diner during this time and in 1977 he and son Rodger built the Goodyear Store and sold the Dairy Diner. Dad operated the muffler shop until 1998 at which time he retired. While dad had the muffler shop, he bought a bass boat and began going fishing again when Choke Canyon Lake was built and filled with water during 1980 and 81.He had several friends he enjoyed fishing with at the lake and the Nueces River. He had several groups of guys that came up from the valley and others from Victoria and Houston for him to take on fishing trips as a guide for a few years. As his main fishing buddies and dear friends slowly passed away and dads physical disabilities caught up with him, he gave his boat up and retired from fishing. Many tons of fish were brought up out of the lake and river which he shared with his many friends and still had plenty leftover to eat at home and every family reunion had a feast on Walt's famous catfish frys. Dad was also famous for his Walt's cheese bait. The catfish couldn't resist it. Although the smell of it kept some folks out of his shop since he made it in the back. Dad's most favorite place to go in his later years was to visit with his coffee drinking buddies at the Dairy Queen. Some of those special men, as well as family members are here today as pall bearers and honorary pallbearers. Thank you all for being a part of dad's farewell celebration of life. Love you Dad, Walter and Papa. We will see you again when it is our time to be with you in Heaven. He was preceded in death by his parents, his son-in-law James Earl Baker, his sisters Katie Lee Campbell and Mary Louise Caraway and his grandson Michael David Holmes. Survivors include: wife: Jewel Elizabeth "Becky" Holmes of George West. His children: Rodger Eugene Holmes of George West, Teresa Elizabeth Baker of Kyle, TX and Larry Joe (Sharon) Holmes of Three Rivers. He was blessed with 4 grandchildren: Jennifer (Todd) Crosby of Kyle, Hannah Holmes of San Antonio, Nathan (Crystal) Baker of Waxahachie and Kelly (Will) Green of Ft. Collins Colorado, and his grand daughter-in-law Susan Ruthama Balew-Holmes. He was blessed with 12 great-grandchildren Justin Holmes, Gilbert "Gib" Holmes, Samantha Ruth Balew-Holmes, Walter Holmes, III, Jacob Crosby, Nicholas Baker, Noah Baker Brooke Iannone-Baker, Bo Green, Riley Green, Ashley Green and Brianna Green. Visitation will be Wednesday, March 29, 2023 from 9-11 AM at the First Baptist Church in George West. Funeral Service is to begin at 11 AM at the First Baptist Church of George West. Burial will follow at the George West Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Larry Holm, Larry Busby, Dennis Maurer, Jacob Crosby, Robert Campbell and Gene Campbell. Honorary Pallbearers are Joe Bartlett, Kasey King , Clifford Word, Bill Norris, LT Davis and John Ed Holland. Services entrusted to Roberson Funeral Home, Three Rivers.

Walter Eugene Holmes Jr.

February 11, 1926 - March 24, 2023