Violet Strickland Holmes

Violet Strickland Holmes March 21, 1926 - April 20, 2009 Violet Holmes, 83, of Hewitt, went to be with the Lord early Monday morning, April 20, 2009. Services will be at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 22, at First Baptist Church of Hewitt with Rev. Roy Marshall officiating. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 6 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Garden Room. Violet was born March 21, 1926 in Alvarado, TX, to Sim and Maggie Strickland. She was one of six children. She was baptized and confessed Christ as her Savior at age 11. She was married to Howard L. Holmes in June of 1941. They lived in Waco throughout their 51 years of marriage. Rosie the Riveter didn't have anything on Violet. In fact, she was telling a few of her great-grandchildren her experiences building planes right here in Waco for North American Aviation during World War II. She, as a "Rosie", loved the fact she was able to make a difference during a difficult time in our great country's history. She told the story with great enthusiasm and delight. Violet was so proud to have survived a quadruple bypass and to represent the American Heart Association as one of their "Go Red" representatives for the past three years. She also really enjoyed her group of friends at the Providence Hospital "work out" group in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinic. She was a member of Beverly Hills Baptist Church for 25 years and presently at First Baptist Church in Hewitt since 1995. She loved her church. There is a very special group of lady friends that she cherished and enjoyed their friendships. Every Sunday this group of widows shares a church pew together. Her hobbies were cooking, gardening and reading the Bible. She enjoyed traveling in her younger years and always hosted family dinners. Her specialties of the house were Italian Cream Cake, Chicken and Dumpling and her famous Christmas Cookies. Violet's favorite "expletive" was "Praise Jesus." Her greatest joys in life were God and her family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Holmes, in 1992; parents; brothers, Burl Strickland and Billy Strickland; and sisters, Cleo Gilbert and Lolette Strickland. She is survived by her daughters, Vee Kucera and husband, Roger; Virginia Young and husband, Eddie; Shirley Lawless and husband, Doyle, all of Waco; sons, Kenneth Holmes and wife, Carol of North Richland Hills; and Calvin Holmes and wife, Terri, of Lubbock: a sister, Dorothy Brown of Waco; ten grandchildren, DeeAnn Kucera-Salinas and husband, Gerry, of Waco; Roger Paul Kucera of Hewitt; Judy Young of Waco; Melissa Linendoll and husband, Chris, of Leander; Cory Young of Jerrell: Wendy Kinsey and husband, John, of Burleson; Tracy Tanner and husband, Steve, of Haltom City; Robin Sanders and husband, Shon, of Hewitt: Gregory Boyer of Dallas; and A.J. Holmes of Hewitt; 14 great-grandchildren, Jaclyn Salinas, Matthew Salinas, Andy Salinas, Megan Kucera, Blake Kucera, Kelsey Linendoll, Jonathan Kinsey, Jake Kinsey, Tyson Turk, Sarah Tanner, Nicole Tanner, Samantha Tanner, Katie Tanner and Riley Sanders; many beloved nieces and nephews, especially, Dawn Adams and husband, Zane, and their son, Hunter; and the boys who considered her, as their grandmother, Ben McCarter, Logan Palmer, T.J. Westbrook and Clay Brooks. Pallbearers are Zane Adams, Gregory Boyer, A.J. Holmes, Roger Paul Kucera, Chris Linendoll, Gerry Salinas, Shon Sanders and Cory Young. Honorary pallbearers are her seven best lady friends: Millie Bearden, Dorothy Benson, Fran Benz, Rosemary Goldapp, Carolyn Rogers, Dorothy Stanford and Jean Thomas. Dr. Rodney Brown was very dear to her and the family thanks him for his patience and his many years of care. The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, 6801 Sanger Ave. Suite 102, Waco, TX, 76710, or First Baptist Church of Hewitt, 301 South First St., Hewitt, TX 76643. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com.