Joshua Holmes

HOLMES, Joshua, 94, of Saluda, Virginia, son of the late Zachariah and Mary Lee Dudley Holmes, was born on April 9, 1914. He entered into eternal rest on Friday, September 24, 2008, at 8:15 a.m. at Riverside Convalescent Center, Saluda. He was educated at My Lady's Bridge School and The Calvary School located at Christchurch, Virginia. At an early age, he accepted Christ as his Lord, was baptized and joined the Calvary Baptist Church, Christchurch. On July 4, 1939, he was joined in holy matrimony to the late Willie Mary Corr, and to this union six children were born, two of whom preceded him in death. Joshua was a waterman until 1970, and he worked as an oysterman and fisherman on the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay and the waters of New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Delaware. He also managed the family farms. In 1970, he was employed by the town of Urbanna as night watchman, and in January of 1971, he was appointed as chief deputy of Middlesex County by Sheriff Ryland Hall, and served in that position until 1978. He became the first African American sheriff of Middlesex County after the resignation of Sheriff Ryland in 1978. He later ran for re-election and won by a landslide. His many accomplishments include: attending the Tidewater Police Academy of Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia; receiving a certificate for successfully completing a course in DUI (detection and apprehension) from the Department of Transportation Safety, Commonwealth of Virginia; earning a certificate for a course in executive development from Virginia Sheriffs Association in Williamsburg in January 1980; completing a course in management for new sheriffs from the Virginia Association in Lynchburg and receiving a certificate on December 9, 1979. During his tenure as sheriff, he hired two minority deputies, one of whom is still employed in law enforcement. Joshua is also a member of Bethlehem Star Lodge #249 in Saluda, Virginia. He leaves to cherish his memories two sons, Joshua Holmes Jr. of Fayetteville, North Carolina and Elmore Holmes of Saluda, Virginia; two daughters, Julia F. Graham and Hallie J.Holmes both of Saluda, Virginia; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; one great-great--grandchild; a special friend, Levi Braxton Sr.; an adopted son, William T. Bagby; and Natasha Nicole Elizabeth Smith Drummond, who thought of him as "my grandaddy." The funeral service will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, September 28, 2008, at the Antioch Baptist Church, Saluda. Interment in the church cemetery with Masonic rites. The viewing will be Saturday, 2 to 4 p.m. at the J.K. Redmond Funeral Home, and 6 to 8 p.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, contributions, in memory of Mr. Holmes, can be made to the Calvary Baptist Church Building Fund, Box 350, Saluda, Virginia 23149; the Antioch Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1375, Saluda, Virginia 23149; or the Central Middlesex Volunteer Rescue Squad, Urbanna, Virginia 23175.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.