William M. "Bill" Holt Jr.

1935 - 2022

HOLT, William "Bill" M., Jr., died peacefully at the age of 86, surrounded by his family at his home in Powhatan. Bill was born and raised in Richmond and graduated from John Marshall High School in 1954. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington in 1958, where he majored in chemistry and was a member of Band Company. Bill was hired at DuPont, where he worked for nearly 40 years. While living in Texas, Bill met and married Yolanda Hernandez, of Port Arthur. The two were married for 58 years and raised their three children in Chesterfield County. Bill loved his country and served nine years as a field artillery officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. He was a devoted family man who enjoyed being on the water, in a canoe or sailboat. He loved spending his summers at the beach with his family and playing in the water with his grandchildren. He was a devout Catholic and sang in the choir, first at St. Augustine's Parish in Chesterfield County and later at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Powhatan. He enjoyed playing the trumpet with the John Marshall Alumni Band. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William and Alma Holt; and sister, Barbara McKnight. He is survived by his loving wife, Yolanda; his son, Tony Holt (VMI class of 1997); daughters, Leslie Holt Jefferson and Karen Clark (Burman); and his seven grandchildren, Ross, Olivia, Steven and Maggie Clark and Otto, Abigail and William Jefferson. The Holt Family would like to thank James River Home Health & Hospice for providing excellent, compassionate care for Bill during his last weeks. A visitation will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, February 10, at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 2480 Batterson Road, Powhatan, Va. The visitation will be followed by a brief Celebration of Life. A memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, February 11. In lieu of flowers, memorial donation checks may be made out to the VMI Band Endowment and sent to VMI Alumni Agencies, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, Va. 24450. Donations may also be made online at vmialumni.org/give.