Carl Reece Holden left his earthly body on December 22, 2025. Born on October 24, 1937 in Taft, Florida, he was the third child of Ralph Jay Pullins and Esther Pearl Brickley. He was later adopted by James Holden and from thereon created a name for himself. He is survived by his two children, Lisa Carroll Holden Haake (George), Lynn P. Holden (Jessica), four grandchildren, Bethany (Alex) Kotlar, Carter Holden (Bek) Hutchens, Brennan Carl Haake, Logan J. Haake, and two great-grandchildren, Teddy and Evie.
Carl grew up in rural Arkansas and Florida, where he taught himself several outdoors skills, his lifetime favorite being fly fishing. After high school, he served in the United States Air Force from 1956 to 1960 as a Bomber Navigation Systems Mechanic, stationed at Blytheville AFB in Arkansas. After service, he returned to Florida and worked at Martin Marietta and began attending Delaney Street Baptist Church in Orlando where he met the love of his life, Julia "Judie" Ann Carroll. They married on December 15,1962 and were still holding hands after 62 years.
Carl earned his BA in social work at Mississippi College in Jackson, Mississippi. During that time, he felt called to the ministry and subsequently attended Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. Upon graduating with a Master of Divinity, he and Judie were commissioned as "home missionaries" with the Southern Baptist Convention. Carl's first assignment was as associate pastor and Christian Social Minister at Worcester Baptist Church in Worcester, Massachusetts. In these roles he served the church by shepherding the congregation, and the community by arranging for lunches and holding special worship services for the elderly, overseeing a low-income housing renovation near the church, and holding a "coffee house," a drug and alcohol-free weekend hangout.
After 8 years in New England, Carl and his family transferred to Salt Lake City, Utah where he served as pastor of Central Baptist Church and director of the Baptist Concern Center. He, Judie and their daughters served a small but vibrant congregation, ran a food pantry and clothes closet, a Friday night coffee house, and provided help to travelers and those struggling in the community. It was here that he learned to ski, both downhill and cross country, took up sailing in nearby lakes, and stayed in shape by running up and down the hills around the church.
Carl resigned from these roles in 1986 and shifted his focus to chaplaincy. Upon completing a clinical pastoral education program in Arizona, he and Judie returned to Florida where Carl served first as a chaplain and later as a Director of Social Services at two Jacksonville nursing homes. He retired from these roles in 1997 but did not stop serving. He was a dedicated volunteer for Habijax (Habitat for Humanity) and a member of the "Wednesday Gang" a group of retired volunteers that assisted every week with Habijax builds. He and Judie were also monthly volunteers for Meals on Wheels and both served as Sunday School teachers for almost a decade at Aspire Church.
Carl's values of loyalty, tenacity and self-sufficiency were evident in the way he lived his life. He was a dedicated servant of Christ, a devoted husband, and loving father. He was a disciplined athlete, enjoying many activities but especially 20-30 mile bike rides into his early 80s. He taught himself many skills including building and repairing bikes and could "MacGuyver" just about anything that needed done around the house or the church. He also took joy in music, teaching himself to play the guitar, tapping along to jazz or James Taylor, feeling the wind on his face while riding his Harley, playing with his cat or reading a good suspense book.
Carl's life was one well lived. He had a winning smile and a generous, kind, and playful spirit. He was admired, appreciated and loved by nearly everyone who met and knew him. He will be deeply missed and always remembered.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations be made to the Humane Society or Habitat for Humanity. Details regarding a memorial service in March 2026, will be posted at a later date.
Carl grew up in rural Arkansas and Florida, where he taught himself several outdoors skills, his lifetime favorite being fly fishing. After high school, he served in the United States Air Force from 1956 to 1960 as a Bomber Navigation Systems Mechanic, stationed at Blytheville AFB in Arkansas. After service, he returned to Florida and worked at Martin Marietta and began attending Delaney Street Baptist Church in Orlando where he met the love of his life, Julia "Judie" Ann Carroll. They married on December 15,1962 and were still holding hands after 62 years.
Carl earned his BA in social work at Mississippi College in Jackson, Mississippi. During that time, he felt called to the ministry and subsequently attended Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. Upon graduating with a Master of Divinity, he and Judie were commissioned as "home missionaries" with the Southern Baptist Convention. Carl's first assignment was as associate pastor and Christian Social Minister at Worcester Baptist Church in Worcester, Massachusetts. In these roles he served the church by shepherding the congregation, and the community by arranging for lunches and holding special worship services for the elderly, overseeing a low-income housing renovation near the church, and holding a "coffee house," a drug and alcohol-free weekend hangout.
After 8 years in New England, Carl and his family transferred to Salt Lake City, Utah where he served as pastor of Central Baptist Church and director of the Baptist Concern Center. He, Judie and their daughters served a small but vibrant congregation, ran a food pantry and clothes closet, a Friday night coffee house, and provided help to travelers and those struggling in the community. It was here that he learned to ski, both downhill and cross country, took up sailing in nearby lakes, and stayed in shape by running up and down the hills around the church.
Carl resigned from these roles in 1986 and shifted his focus to chaplaincy. Upon completing a clinical pastoral education program in Arizona, he and Judie returned to Florida where Carl served first as a chaplain and later as a Director of Social Services at two Jacksonville nursing homes. He retired from these roles in 1997 but did not stop serving. He was a dedicated volunteer for Habijax (Habitat for Humanity) and a member of the "Wednesday Gang" a group of retired volunteers that assisted every week with Habijax builds. He and Judie were also monthly volunteers for Meals on Wheels and both served as Sunday School teachers for almost a decade at Aspire Church.
Carl's values of loyalty, tenacity and self-sufficiency were evident in the way he lived his life. He was a dedicated servant of Christ, a devoted husband, and loving father. He was a disciplined athlete, enjoying many activities but especially 20-30 mile bike rides into his early 80s. He taught himself many skills including building and repairing bikes and could "MacGuyver" just about anything that needed done around the house or the church. He also took joy in music, teaching himself to play the guitar, tapping along to jazz or James Taylor, feeling the wind on his face while riding his Harley, playing with his cat or reading a good suspense book.
Carl's life was one well lived. He had a winning smile and a generous, kind, and playful spirit. He was admired, appreciated and loved by nearly everyone who met and knew him. He will be deeply missed and always remembered.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations be made to the Humane Society or Habitat for Humanity. Details regarding a memorial service in March 2026, will be posted at a later date.
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