David Maurice Holdt

Dear Family and Friends of David Holdt. This weekend, utilizing donations to the Tolland Conservation Commission, the Tolland Conservation Corp erected a memorial bench in Mr. Holdt's honor located at the terminus of the 'orange' trail on the Knofla South Conservation Property in Tolland, Connecticut. The bench provides a westward look for birders and hikers looking for a quiet spot to enjoy this beautiful beaver pond. Given Mr. Holdt's fondness of the waters of the Hudson River, we thought...

Miss you David and our shared love of Dorset, England.
Helene Voto

May he rest in peace...Imani Ansari (Lisa Martin)

I also had the privilege of having David as an English teacher at Watkinson School. Two months ago, I was at Timberline Lodge, on the side of Mount Hood, in Oregon, when I got talking with one of the employees. We quickly discovered that we both had graduated from Watkinson and both had David as a teacher! He impacted countless people and made us all better writers and readers.

Kate Earley Downes '79

I was sorry to see that David passed away. I was a senior when David started teaching at Watkinson in 1978. The seniors experienced what a wonderful teacher he was and selected him to speak at our graduation. I still remember him talking about how he took on difficult tasks because they needed to be done and he needed to do them. In that vein, he marched for civil rights in the 1960s and was arrested for it. We were lucky to have been taught by him.

Jack Mead 79'

Ever the Poet, ever the Teacher, ever the Gentleman. He made me believe that I had poetry in me. A beautiful soul. We were lucky to know him.

The loveliest of men, David guided his students through tumultuous teen years with grace and humor. In doing so he set an example of kindness and understanding for parents. We loved the measured consideration he gave conversations and the passion he had the beauty of words and wild spaces.
We are less one good man and we need all we have.
Love to all.