Jay Robert Holmes

Jay Robert Holmes passed peacefully on April 27, 2024, at the Ozarks Methodist Manor in Marionville, Missouri. Born April 18, 1934, in Cheyenne, Oklahoma, Jay was a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, cousin, and friend to many.
Jay had five siblings and was the youngest boy of two brothers and three sisters. The Holmes family traveled through Kansas, and Oklahoma to Missouri, via two covered wagons. His older brother, Fred, drove one of the covered wagon teams at age 12. Jay and his siblings lived in a tent for one year, did not enjoy running water, nor electricity, throughout their childhood in Missouri and learned to live off the land with very little. Their mom made their clothes from flour sacks-something of an embarrassment to the boys, as was the fact that the family couldn't afford a car. They raised cattle, gardened, hunted, and fished while living in several towns including Monett, Aurora, Crane, and Springfield.
Jay played football at Aurora High School and served as the team's co-captain. Jay was an avid Chiefs fan. He also loved his high school poetry class and recited famous poems for decades following graduation in 1953. A handsome, friendly student beloved by many, Jay was Homecoming King his senior year. While at Aurora High, a cute redheaded freshman, Carol Jones, caught his eye. Jay and Carol celebrated 67 wonderful years of marriage on February 22, 2024, and enjoyed retirement on their farm.
Jay served in the United States Army from 1954-56 where he had basic training in Texas, followed by specialized transportation training at Fort Knox in Kentucky. He and his unit were later deployed to Germany. Jay regaled his wife and children with German words, coins, photos, and shared many adventuresome stories from his time in the service.
After serving in the military, Jay's career was in auto body work where he also expertly painted pin stripes and was often asked to paint the most detailed work. His career spanned from Wichita, Monett, Reliable Chevrolet, and eventually to Warren Auto Works in Springfield where he retired as shop foreman. After retirement, Jay and Carol raised cattle, chickens, and enjoyed gardening. Their door was always open to friends, neighbors, and family. During downtime, they were fond of playing Rook, Dominoes, and other board games.
Jay Holmes will be greatly missed. He made his mark in a variety of significant ways and touched many people in all walks of life. Blessed to celebrate his 90th birthday recently, a milestone Jay had looked forward to all year, he is preceded in death by his parents, Geneva and Clay Holmes; his stepfather, Jack Walker; his siblings Fred Holmes, Joyce VanNortwick, Wayne Holmes, Wanda Mathews, and Jean Shade; his cousin Emery Holmes; his granddaughter, Shana Hight, and her husband, Scott. Survivors include Jay's treasured wife, Carol; his children, Beth (Holmes) Carter and her husband, Bob; Alison Holmes, and Steve Holmes; granddaughters Amy Grabher and her husband, Chris; great-grandchildren Ethan Jay and Grace Grabher, of California; granddaughter Monica Marshall and her fiancé, Brenden; step-granddaughters, Allison Twist and Jessica Connolly, their husbands, Erik and Doug; and their 12 children in Arizona; cousins, Ben Johnston, Carol Webb, John Holmes, as well as a host of nieces and nephews.
Services will be held on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora, 303 S. Jefferson Ave. Visitation will be at 1:00 p.m. followed by the service at 2:00 p.m. with military honors at Maple Park Cemetery in Aurora afterward. Pastor Mark Reavis will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Reavisville First Baptist Church or the Alzheimer's Association in Jay Holmes' memory.
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