Lewis C. Holder

1923 - 2018

HOLDER, Lewis C Lewis C. Holder (b: 10/10/1923 d: 3/29/2018) grew up on a farm in Goldthwaite, Texas with his grandparents Walter and Jimmie Reynolds. He attended Austin High School as a freshman and sophomore and played varsity football both years. He attended and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School and was named to the All State Football team in the fall of 1940 and made Eagle Scout. Lew accepted an appointment to West Point in the fall of 1941 and was assigned to the Army Air Corps in the spring of 1942 where he served until the end of WWII as a captain and a flight instructor for the AT6 and P38 aircraft in preparation for the invasion of Japan. After the war, he attended the University of Texas at Austin where he joined Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and his beloved Longhorn football team, wearing jersey number 85 as left end. He shared the love of the Longhorns with fellow fraternity brother, teammate and roommate Tom Landry in a friendship which lasted a lifetime. Tom and Lew were not only talented football players, but talented boxers as well. Tom held the lightweight title, and Lew the heavyweight title in UT intramurals in 1946. Lew introduced Tom to Alicia Wiggs in 1946 and served as best man in their wedding in 1949. Lew is the last living starter of the 1947 and 1948 Longhorn football teams and was named to the Press 1948 All Southwest Football Team. His shining hour as a Longhorn occurred on January 1, 1948, in Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. In the 4th quarter, Texas led favored Alabama, 13-7, when Lew intercepted a pass and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown and a 20-7 lead for Texas. After the ensuing kick-off, Lew stripped the ball from Bama's QB and recovered on the Alabama 5 yard line. A few plays later Bobby Layne punched in a quarterback sneak sealing a 27-7 victory and Texas' first and only Sugar Bowl title. Lew graduated from UT and played pro football for the Los Angeles Dons in the 1949 season. He then earned a law degree from South Texas School of Law in Houston. During that time he and first wife Gloria Neuhaus had their two daughters Susan and Betsy. They raised their daughters in Houston, while Lew began a career with Humble Oil as a title examiner in Texas and Louisiana. Sadly Gloria and Lew dissolved their marriage in the early 60's, but remained friends until Gloria's passing. A few years later Lew remarried Jane Carter Robertson of Dallas, a widow who lost her husband Malcolm Robertson to cancer in 1962. Before Malcolm's passing, they were blessed with three children; Malcolm, Michelle and Amy. Lew and Jane's marriage was truly a match made in heaven, each of them loving and caring for each other's children as if they were their own. In 1971 Jane and Lew moved to a ranch just outside of Georgetown, Texas. Lew had a law practice and owned a title company there for a decade. In 1981 Jane and Lew sold the ranch and moved to Horseshoe Bay. Surrounded by many friends, they made their home there for 21 years. Lew was an influential community member, serving as the president of the Home Owner's Association, practicing law, and was instrumental in building the Protestant Church at Horseshoe Bay that overlooks Lake LBJ. In 2002 Jane and Lew moved to Plano to be closer to their children. They recently celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary. Lew was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather and has always been known by all of his family as "Coach". He was a devout Christian, and lived his life with integrity, courage in the face of adversity, and always there for anyone to lean on. He will be greatly missed, but has renewed strength in Heaven and is forever our Coach. Lew is survived by his wife Jane, his daughter and son-in-law Susan and O.D. Ramey, stepson and daughter-in-law Malcolm and Suzanne Robertson, stepdaughter and son-in-law Amy and Cory Richards; grandchildren Jeff Geurin and wife Amy, Betsy Johnson and husband Craig, Clint Ramey, Bud Robertson and wife Olivia, Janie Robertson, Audrey Finch and husband Roy, Charlotte Richards and John Frizzell; great grandchildren Gloria, Katy and Lilly Geurin, Coty, Cameron and Colton Johnson, Elda Robertson, and Carter and Ryan Finch, nieces Jan Bullock, Carol Sue Felts and nephew Danny Felts. Lew was preceded in death by his parents Lillian and Ray Holder, brother Jack Holder, sisters Nancy Holder and Gloria Felts McCalla, daughter Betsy Holder, stepdaughter Michelle Frizzell and granddaughter Stephanie Frizzell. Lew's funeral service is being held this Saturday, April 7, 2018 at 3:00 P.M. in the chapel of Sparkman-Hillcrest Funeral Home, located at 7405 W. Northwest Highway, Dallas, TX 75225. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Longhorn Foundation, the American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice.