In Loving Remembrance

On Saturday, July 25, 2020 Howard Jefferson Holden gently passed away at the age of 95.

A graveside service will be 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1, at Forrest Memorial Park in Batesville, with military honors. Those honored to serve as pallbearers include: Roy Wooten, Jr, Thomas Wooten, Barry Kerr, Sean O’Neal, Stephen Wooten, Kasey Wooten, Ty Kerr, and Josh Hatchett.

Howard was born in Tate County on March 25, 1925 and lived most of his life in Batesville,  where he raised his children Richard and Sue with his wife, Opal.

Howard was a decorated WWII veteran, receiving the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Good Conduct Medal, Army of Occupation Medal and WWII Victory Medal with the highest rank of Sergeant, a Lifetime Member of the Civitan Club of Batesville, and a Mason at the Panola Lodge #66 with over 50 years of membership to each organization. He was also a longtime member of First Baptist Church in Batesville.

He enjoyed a long career at Williams Department Store for over 40 years and according to him, he never retired.

His joys in life were his family, gardening, and helping others.  He grew the best tomatoes in Batesville and gave them away to anyone who requested them.  In his later years, not only did he keep his own yard and garden pristine, you could find him mowing his neighbors’ yards saying he needed to help the elderly when often he was the one of advanced years. He also enjoyed baking pecan pies and apricot nectar cakes and giving them away.

He is welcomed to Heaven by his parents, five brothers and one sister, wife Opal and his daughters Sue and Frances and is survived by his son Richard (Nancy), three sisters: Sue Brown, Martha Embry and Barbara June Whitham (Don), five grandchildren: Allison Holden Hatchett (Josh), Roy Wooten, Jr. (Natoshia), Amy Kerr (Barry), Thomas Wooten (Charlene) and Jennifer O’Neal (Sean), eight great grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to First Baptist Church, Batesville or Batesville Civitan Club.