Holman King

Gene Holman King passed away peacefully and went home to be with his Lord, Jesus Christ, on September 12, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. A graveside service for Holman will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, September 16, at Greenleaf Cemetery in Brownwood. A memorial service will be held on Monday, September 22, 2025 at 3:00 PM in the Sanctuary of Highland Park United Methodist Church, Dallas, Texas, with a reception following in Fellowship Hall.

He was born December 10, 1932 in Abilene, Texas to Hiram Holman King and Loujena Sheppard King, and graduated from Abilene High School where he was in the band and orchestra, beginning a lifelong interest in music. He played in the first concert of the Abilene Philharmonic.

Holman earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M College in 1955, serving in the Corps of Cadets before receiving a commission as a Lieutenant in the United States Army. That same year he married Jane Ann Evans of Brownwood, Texas, beginning a romance that would carry over seventy years. He then served two years of active duty at the Army Security Agency Training Center at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts.

Holman began his employment with Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin before returning to Abilene in 1960 to begin work with West Texas Utilities Company (WTU). He was named a vice-president in 1974, becoming the youngest to be made a vice-president in the company's history. In 1989, he joined Central and Southwest Corporation, parent company to WTU, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions. Professional affiliations include life membership in the Texas Society of Professional Engineers and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.

In 1995, Holman retired after which he and Janie built a home on the Brazos River near Granbury, Texas. Some of his brightest smiles came from pulling grandchildren on skis and other water toys behind his boat on Lake Granbury. In 2015, they returned to Dallas to be near their growing family including great-grandchildren.

Holman was a life-long member of the United Methodist Church, where he sang in the choir and taught Sunday School, serving in leadership roles at the St. Paul United Methodist Church in Abilene, the Acton United Methodist Church near Granbury, and finally at Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas.

Holman devoted his life to his family as husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was kind, generous and good-natured, always sharing love with those around him. He was an engaging conversationalist, able to address a wide variety of subjects, while making time to hear others and their stories. He was famous for telling jokes, which he recalled on a moment's notice. Holman and Janie shared a lifelong interest in music, including patronage of the Abilene Philharmonic, the Granbury Opera House and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Throughout his life, Holman remained engaged in varied interests, covering international travel, astronomy and history, including research on the Butterfield Overland Trail and The Lost Battalion of the War in the Pacific. He was committed to those who had served our country, and enrolled many veterans in the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. Holman was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed camping, fishing, and stargazing with family and friends at the Evans Ranch near Valera, Texas. He remained forever a loyal Texas Aggie. Most of all, Holman was a man of secure faith, providing strong, loving Christian leadership to his daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Holman is survived by his beloved wife, Jane Evans King; daughters, Susan King Wolcott (Charles); Sara Jane King; and Ellen King Ramsey (Scott); grandchildren, William Eldon Wolcott (Liz); Betsy Wolcott Sorenson (Tyler); Margaret Wolcott Reinbold (Mike); Rachel Ramsey Hallman (Daren); and Tucker Scott Ramsey (Mikayla); great-grandchildren including Hale and Isla Wolcott; Clara, Evans and Charles Sorenson; and Matthew, Henry and Jane Reinbold; and a sister, Carolyn King Cloud. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Marilyn King Aldridge.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Youth Concert program of the Dallas Symphony Association at dallassymphony.org, and the In His Steps Benevolence Fund of Highland Park United Methodist Church at hpumc.org.