Dr. Virgil L. Holdeman

Virgil Holdeman
Dr. Virgil L. Holdeman, DVM, 85, of Highland, Ill., born June 24, 1923, in Wakarusa, Ind., died Wednesday, May 13, 2009, at St. Joseph Hospital in Highland, Ill.
Virgil was a member of Evangelical United Church of Christ; Lee Iten Post 439, American Legion; VFW Post 5694, both of Highland; American Veterinary Medical Association; Life Member of Illinois Veterinary Association; American Contract Bridge Association; Highland Rotary Club, Silver Lake Shrine Club (past president), Highland Masonic Lodge 583 AF & AM; Ma Cli Bo Circus Unit; Scottish Rite Bodies, Valley of Southern IL-Belleville, Ill.; and Ainad Temple, AAONOMS (Shriners), East St. Louis, Ill.
Dr. Holdeman was born in Wakarusa, Ind. At the age of five his family moved to Kalamazoo, Mich., where his parents finished college. He graduated in 1941 from Jackson High School, Jackson, Mich., and in 1951 from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University. His college was interrupted by a three year enlistment in the U.S. Army Air Corp. When World War II ended, he was in the Philippine Islands and had completed 21 missions as a navigator on a B-25 bomber. He then practiced farm animal medicine for 18 years in Hebron, Ill. In 1970, he and his family moved to Highland. He was the veterinarian at the National Stockyards, East St. Louis, Ill., for 14 years before retirement. He was an active Shriner in the Ma-Cli-Bo circus unit and spent 42 years racing and breeding Standard bred horses. He was a Bronze Life Master with the America Contract Bridge League.
He was preceeded in death by his father, Walter Ray Holdeman; mother, Florence Hester, nee Barthel, Holdeman; and a brother, Carl Holdeman, age 6 mo.
Surviving are his wife, Mary L., nee Nichols, Holdeman whom he married on June 18, 1955; children, Janeen "Jackie" (Charles) Hook of Lacey, Wash.; David A. (Tammy) Holdeman of Des Arc, Mo., Janet L. Holdeman of Wheaton, Ill., and Robert C. (Susan) Holdeman of Pocahontas, Ill.; a sister, Gladys (Robert) McKenney of Rochester, Mich.; grandchildren, William (Judy) Dias, Laura (Tony) Theimer, Jennifer Dias, Tyler Holdeman, and Sam Holdeman; and eight great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Evangelical United Church of Christ.

Visitation: Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 22, 2009, at Spengel-Boulanger Funeral Home in Highland, Ill.

Funeral: Memorial services will be at 8 p.m., Friday, May 22, 2009, at Spengel-Boulanger Funeral Home, Highland, Ill., with Rev. Christopher W. Hill officiating. Graveside service will be at 1 p.m., Sunday, May 24, 2009, at Linn Hebron Cemetery, Hebron, Ill.

SPENGEL-BOULANGER
FUNERAL HOME,
Highland, Ill.