Obituary

John W. Holmes

John Wallace Holmes, 85, of Rossville, Ind., died Thursday, July 17, 2003, at Milner Community Health Care Center in Rossville. He had been a patient there since May 23.

Born Feb. 17, 1918, in Jonesboro, Ind., he graduated from Rossville High School in 1936, where he participated in sports, including basketball. He graduated from Indiana University in 1947 with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering.

He lived in Austin, Minn., for 32 years and in West Lafayette for 16 years, before returning to Rossville in April.

On Dec. 10, 1941, he married Elizabeth Larsen in Champaign, Ill. She lives in Duluth, Minn. He married Lucy "Jackie" Scott on Sept. 23, 1976. She lives in Lebanon, Ind.

Mr. Holmes retired from industrial relations and research/development at Hormel Foods Inc. in Austin in 1979, after working there for 32 years.

He served in the Army Air Corps from 1941 until 1945, during World War II. He was a navigator with the 64th Troop Carrier Group, serving in North Africa and Italy.

Mr. Holmes was a member of AA, the Optimists, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1154, all in West Lafayette; American Legion Post 38 in Lafayette; the U.S. Air Force 64th Troop Carrier Group Assn. and Disabled American Veterans. He was very active in community work.

The funeral was held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, July 22, 2003, at Rossville Presbyterian Church with the Rev. John Stevens officiating. Interment with military services was held at Rossville Cemetery.

Surviving are his wife, Lucy "Jackie" Scott Holmes; three sons, John "Mike" Holmes of Duluth, Minn., Rans Holmes of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Steve (Sali) Holmes of Rochester, Minn.; three daughters, Anne (David) Karakatsoulis and Kathy Holmes, both of Duluth, and Peggy Holmes of Pinole, Calif.; two stepsons, Sam (Barbara) Scott of Farmington Hills, Mich. and Michael (Sheila) Scott of Plano, Texas; and a stepdaughter, Kandi (Mike) Caldwell of Lebanon, Ind.; a sister, Leah Martin of Lakehills, Texas; seven grandchildren, Miriam Rittmaster, Gabe Holmes, Eli Holmes, Nick Karakatsoulis, Sophie Karakatsoulis, Bernard Holmes and Heather Holmes; three step-grandchildren; one great-grandchild, Mikaela Rittmaster; five step-great-grandchildren; cousin, Joe (Floris M.) Petty of Terre Haute, Ind.; former spouse, Elizabeth J. Holmes, Duluth, Minn.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Wallace Burr and Irene (Moore) Holmes; and a sister, Geneva Haney.

Arrangements were handled by Bodine Funeral Home, Rossville, Ind.

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