James R. Holmes

James Richard Holmes, age 90, of Garnett, Kansas, passed away on Saturday, July 6, 2013, at Golden Heights in Garnett. He was born on February 9, 1923, at Centerville, Kansas, the son of Samuel and Helen Crawford Holmes. He graduated from Kincaid High School. Jim drove a truck for Cyrus Oil Company out of Iola in his younger years. He then joined the U. S. Army during WWII for 3 years, where he drove a wrecker in Germany and Italy. Jim was united in marriage to Wanda Howarter on July 4, 1944, in Kansas City, Missouri. After returning home from the Army, he and Wanda moved to San Diego, California, where he worked for Convair Aircraft for 19 years, Jim then worked for a concrete company, also in San Diego, until his retirement. They then moved to the desert at Borrego Springs, California, where he helped organize a volunteer fire department and built a firehouse for the department. They moved to Garnett, Kansas in 1994. He was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel and Helen Holmes; four brothers, John Franklin, George Francis, Thomas and William; three sisters, Myrtle Russell, Louise Hunt, and Anna Steger; three nieces Sharon Adams, Carol Miller, and Rebecca Reed. Jim is survived by his wife, Wanda Holmes, who resides at Golden Heights; sister-in-law Laverne Howarter of Lone Elm, Kansas; brothers in law Wendell Howarter of Mesa, Arizona and Harry Hunt of Denver, Colorado, and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10, 2013, at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel in Garnett. Burial will follow in the Lone Elm Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 1:00 to 2:00 PM, Wednesday, prior to the service. Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children and sent in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com .