Thomas Melvin Holmes Jr

Thomas Melvin Holmes Jr. age 44 of Navarre, Florida was born on August 13, 1981, in Brooklyn, New York, to the late Thomas Melvin Holmes Sr. and Debra Holmes. He was raised in Brownsville, Brooklyn, where he attended P.S. 184, I.S. 271, and George Westinghouse High School. He graduated with the Class of 1999 alongside his Black Fruit Punch crew (if you know you know)

Shortly after graduation, Thomas Melvin Holmes Jr., AKA T.J., enlisted in the military and joined the Air Force. He was first stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. T.J. went on to serve honorably for 20 years, from 1999 to 2019. During his military career, he was deployed to Iraq, Qatar, South Korea, and Germany. He later retired from Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada.

After his military career, he embarked on a new journey in 2020 when he moved to Saudi Arabia. There, he worked for ManTech, PKL, and SAMI from 2020 to 2025. While in Saudi Arabia, he met the love of his life, Pontsho Gafane. The two were married on January 25, 2022, in South Africa. They later settled in Navarre Fl, in July 2025, where he sadly met his untimely passing on March 15, 2026, in a car accident.

He is survived by his mother Debra Holmes, wife Pontsho Holmes, their three children, Opelong, Thomas lll and Omolemo, his brother Phillip Holmes (Regina Holmes), Nieces Shaquana Smith, Shivonnie Walker, Nyla Holmes. Nephew Sidney Bowman. Great nieces Celestine Smith and Blessing Smith. The Gafane Family and a host of family and friends.

May his beautiful soul rest in eternal peace.