Kenneth Ralph Holaday

Kenneth Holaday was born in Exeter, CA on July 5, 1960 and passed away in Fresno, CA on October 28, 2014.
At the age of 9, Ken moved to Lindsay where he attended local schools and was very active in Scouting where he reached the rank of a Life Scout. He graduated from Lindsay High School in 1978. While in high school he participated in sports, playing football for 4 years and wrestling for 2 years. While he was in high school he discovered his love of building trades and helped design the project house which was then built by the building trades department. As a result of this interest, he received a 2 year scholarship to the COS building program.
After college he moved to Fresno where he continued in the construction field. He became a construction supervisor for the Gary McDonald Homes, for many years. During his employment with McDonald Homes he also became friends with Gary McDonald and other employees. This group of friends went on many hunting and fishing trips which became a life-long passion of Ken's. On his hunting trips he was able to travel to Alaska, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Utah, always bringing home his prey to share with family and friends.
His love of hunting, whether with a gun or bow and arrow led him to accept a job in Clovis at Old West Arms as a salesman and as a Firearms Safety Instructor. He particularly enjoyed assisting a parent in teaching their son or daughter the correct use and handling of their first gun. He spent many weekends camping and hunting with his son Kyle and other fathers and their sons. On one of these weekends he was able to be with Kyle when he finally got his first deer.
Ken married Carol Meyers in 1988 and their son Kyle was born in 1990. They divorced in 2012 but remained friends. Kyle is serving in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado and is in training for his third deployment.
Ken is survived by his son Kyle; his parents Francis and Mary Gum and Richard and Terri Holaday; his brother Dave Holaday and family of Modesto. He is also survived by his step-brother David Gum and wife of Bakersfield, step-sisters Megan McComb and family of Merced and Susan Hunt and husband of Visalia. Also surviving is his aunt Frances Sloan of Visalia and many nephews, nieces, cousins and friends and special friend Sandee of Visalia.
Preceding Ken in death was his grandparents Ralph Qualls, Jess and Mae Mendenhall, Kenneth and Margaret Holaday and his very special uncle Ben Qualls.
Services were held Monday, November 3 in Lindsay with Gary McDonald officiating. Special thanks to Gary for his support and arranging for Ken's former co-workers to attend the service, Ruben Gonzalez of China's Alley for his kindness, Mark Wall of Clovis Old West Arms for his support.