Obituary: Emily P. Holmes

Longtime Meeker resident Emily P. Holmes, 83, died Oct. 9, 2013, at the Walbridge Memorial Wing.
Emily was born Sept. 17, 1930, to Ted and Sarah VanDusen in Tracy, Minn. She was graduated from Tracy High School and attended business school in Minneapolis. While working in an insurance office in Denver, Colo., Emily was asked to go on a blind New Year’s Day date with a mutual acquaintance. And, as Emily said, “When you know… you know. The rest is history.” Following a short courtship, Emily married Charles R. Holmes on June 13, 1951. They were married for 54 years prior to his death.
Following their marriage, Charles and Emily lived in Rifle, Colo., where Charles worked for the coal and uranium mines and Emily waited tables. After some encouragement, Charles decided to go back to school for his teaching degree while Emily focused on their two daughters, Jane and Julie.
In 1954, Charles and Emily moved to Meeker, where he taught for the next 26 years. Emily went to work at the Meeker Junior High School as a secretary and two years later moved to the Meeker School RE-1 Administration office, where she served as the financial secretary for the next 25 years.
Despite family tragedy, Emily will be remembered for her resilience, strength and wonderful sense of humor. Emily was extremely loyal and protective of those she called friends and expected the same in return. As a result, she created life-long friendships.
She took a great deal of pride in her almost 80-year friendship with her three best friends from kindergarten: Colette, Faye and Rosie, who would still get together often.
She was generous to those in need and often peeked in on elderly neighbors: cooking meals and running errands.
She was remarkably proud of her husband’s accomplishments, specifically his ability to garden gladiolas, and shared them with anyone who expressed an interest in displaying them.
She will long be remembered for her love of golf, but especially for her commitment to the game of bridge. She took great pride in teaching anyone who was willing to learn, but was a stickler for the rules of the game. She played bridge, faithfully, each week until her failing health prevented her from doing so.
Emily was a dedicated wife, mother, neighbor and friend and was a gift to everyone who knew her.
Emily was preceded in death by her husband, Charles; their two daughters, Jane and Julie; her parents, three brothers and one sister.
She is survived by her niece Virginia Tenold of South Dakota; her great-niece Linda Reeves of Littleton, Colo.; her great-nephew Richard Reeves of Phoenix, Ariz.; and many life-long friends.
In lieu of flowers, friends may make memorial contributions to the Walbridge Wing Memorial Fund through Grant Mortuary, which has been entrusted with the arrangements.