Richard Paul Holmes

Richard Paul Holmes, 82, died at 5:40 PM on Sunday, July 1, 2012, in his home, with his beloved family at his side.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to James and Margaret LeTellier Holmes, Mr. Holmes was a 1946 graduate of Baldwin High School in Pittsburgh. He served his country during World War II in the U. S. Navy for four years, followed by another four years as Staff Sergeant in the U. S. Air Force. He then attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, where he graduated in 1958 in Mechanical Engineering. Mr. Holmes worked as a Mechanical Engineer for T.C.1 in Birmingham for five years following his graduation, and completed his thirty-two year career as Mechanical Engineer for PPG Industries, retiring in 1994.

Mr. Holmes was a faithful member of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church, where he served as Eucharistic Minister and on various committees. He was also a member of the Krewe de la Noblesse and the Rose Society. He enjoyed gardening, traveling and genealogy, particularly as he and his family traveled to learn of their genealogy in Scotland.

Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 58 years, Mary Anne Hebert Holmes; one son, John Holmes and wife Amanda of Conway, Arkansas; four daughters, Holly Ritter and husband Paul of Slidell, Karen Boggs and husband Patrick of Plain Dealing, Mindy Abshire and husband Kevin of Benbrook, Texas, and Nancy Holmes of Shreveport and very special friend of the family, Nancy Kirby; one brother, Sam Holmes and wife Linda of Anacortes, Washington; one sister, Shirley Dewey of Mt. Vernon, Washington; and eleven grandchildren, Jessie, Benjamin, Maggie and Amanda Ritter, Daniel and Tyler Boggs, Logan, Spencer and Christopher Holmes, and Emily and Nicholas Abshire.

A mass of Christian burial will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 4, 2012, at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home. Msgr. James Gaddy will officiate. Entombment will be at Consolata Cemetery. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Tuesday from 4 until 8 p.m., with a scripture service and rosary at 6 p.m., and on Wednesday from 8 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

The family of Richard Holmes extends their sincere appreciation to all of those involved in his care during his brief illness.