Horace HOLDEN

1933 - 2019

HOLDEN, Sr., Horace Horace Pope Holden, Sr., of Decatur, died Sunday, March 17, 2019. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, August 28, 1933, he was the son of the late Frank Alexander and Grace Pope Holden of Atlanta. Horace graduated from Emory University in 1955 where he was distinguished as an athlete, and was a member of Phi Delta Theta and Omicron Delta Kappa fraternities. He attended seminary at New College, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, for two years where he served a Scottish church as interim pastor. He completed his Master of Theology at Union Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, in 1960. He taught briefly at the Westminster School after returning to Atlanta. Horace founded the Chattahoochee Camp and School in Roswell in 1961 which served Atlantans over its thirty plus years of operation. He also co-founded the Georgia Canoeing Association and the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, N.C., where whitewater rafters and kayakers have been served since 1972. By way of his work and his travels to Scotland, Horace made many friends whose lives he enhanced and whom he enjoyed throughout his life. His theological beliefs and his love of the outdoors were exemplified through his career and his friendships. Horace is survived by his four sons: Charles L. N. Holden, Howard Preston Holden, Horace Pope Holden, Jr., and William Aiken Holden; his seven grandchildren, his brother, Frank A. Holden, Jr., of Clayton, Ga., and sister, Betty Holden Ford, of Cornelia, Ga. The family wishes to acknowledge with special gratitude the loving services of Horace's nurses: Sydonie Lee, Mary Williams, Maryama Bell, Stella Olatunde, and Cynthia Taylor. A service is planned at 2:00 Saturday, April 27, at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell, Georgia. A second celebration of Horace's life will be held at the NOC at a later date. Please direct any gifts to the Chattahoochee Nature https://www.chattnaturecenter.org/support-us/ P.O. Box 769769 - Roswell, GA 30076 or The Giving Spoon C/O Bryson City Presbyterian Church, 311 Everett St Bryson City, North Carolina 28713.