PAUL DOUGLAS HOLLEMAN

HOLLEMAN, PAUL DOUGLAS Paul Douglas Holleman, prominent Denver attorney -"a partner's partner"-father and friend died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Denver on Saturday, January 22. He was 79 years old. Born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, Mr. Holleman grew up there and in Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. He finished high school in Somerset, Kentucky. He was awarded both football and engineering scholarships to the University of Kentucky in Lexington, where as a freshman he played for the Wildcats under legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in Psychology and then served as Second Lieutenant during the Korean War, serving as a personnel psychologist for the Armed Forces Induction and Examining Station in Seattle, Washington. He attended Harvard Law School on the GI Bill. While at Harvard, he was recruited by the late J. Churchill Owen to join the Denver law firm of Holme, Roberts & Owen (HRO). Greatly impressed with Mr. Owen's leadership and excited about the possibilities of life in the growing West, he and his new bride, Mary Dreier Holleman, moved to Denver in 1958 when he began a long and distinguished career as an attorney for the firm. In 2000, he retired from his position as senior partner. In his over forty years with the firm, he served as legal counsel to several oil and gas companies. He was chairman of the HRO Natural Resources Department and a member of its executive committee. He was president of the Inter-American Petroleum Corporation in 1970 and 71 and was a director of Janus Funds in those same years. He was also the past chairman of the Mineral Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association, past chairman of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute and past chairman of the American Bar Association Public Land Committee of the Natural Resources Section. After his retirement, he continued to serve on the Board of Cimarex. Mr. Holleman was also a Deacon and a Trustee at Central Christian Church in Denver. "Paul was always quick to laugh and slow to anger a great and kind man." He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mary Dreier Holleman, originally of Westfield, New Jersey, whom he met when they were both students in Boston; his daughter Martha Anne Holleman of Baltimore and sons Paul Frederick (Fritz) Holleman of Boulder and Andrew Douglas (Andy) Holleman of Denver; his daughters-in law, Clarissa Weiant Holleman and Sharon Kelly Holleman and son-in-law James L. French; and eight grandchildren: John Paul French, Grace Mary Holleman, Claire Dreier Holleman, Peter Frederick French, Anne Dayer Holleman, Madeline Rose Holleman, William Douglas Holleman and Benjamin Paul Holleman; and countless friends and colleagues. A memorial service will be held at Central Christian Church, 3690 Cherry Creek South Drive, in Denver at 11:00 am on Saturday, January 29th. Contributions in memory of Mr. Holleman should be made to the Denver Public Schools Foundation, 900 Grant St., Denver 80203.