Eunice Holder
November 7, 1923 — November 30, 2016
Eunice Holder
Eunice Alma Holder, age 93, passed away Wednesday, November 30, 2016 in Laguna Niguel, California. She was born November 7, 1923 on the family farm in the Fendley Community near Amity, Arkansas; daughter of the late Thomas Monroe Childress and Frances Emma Thomason Childress. She was the last surviving member of seven children. She was Baptist in faith.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Charlie Paul Holder, brothers, Otha, Roy, and George T. Childress, sisters Pearl Buck, Margie Childress, Nell Wetherington and grandson Ryan Sweeney.
She is survived by sons John Holder and wife Trudy of California, Thomas Holder of Arkansas, daughters Paula Pentaleri and husband Andrew of South Carolina, Betty Sweeney of California, and Melissa Mendoza and husband Joe of California; grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephew, and many friends.
Eunice was a strong person with an adventurous spirit; She made no secret of the fact that she was not fond of life on the farm. She moved to Baltimore, Maryland, a few weeks after graduating from Amity High School in 1942. She had fond memories of seeing an escalator for the first time and experiencing the convenience of a hot water heater after arriving in Maryland. She worked for Glen L Martin Aircraft Company (manufacturer of B-17 and B-24 bombers) . She programmed (wired the boards) of IBM Computers. She returned to Arkansas in 1944 and began working for the Army Ordinance Depot in Jacksonville, Arkansas.
Eunice met the love of her life and future husband, Charlie Paul Holder, while having dinner in a restaurant in Jacksonville. Charlie, a young soldier stationed at nearby Camp Robinson, noticed the name Amity on Eunice's class ring. A conversation started and an enduring romance was born. Eunice's job at the Ordinance Depot came to an end soon after the end of World War II. She moved to California and began work in a shipyard. She and Charlie Paul Holder were married in California in 1946. They raised five children. Charlie Paul passed away in 1966.
Eunice was very interested in her children's education. She took them to museums, art exhibits and baseball games to assure a well rounded education. She retired from Civil Service in 1984. She moved to Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 1988. She returned to California in 2010 and lived with her daughter Melissa and family. She loved being with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She enjoyed tending flowers, shopping, and especially reading. She was an early riser; a cup of coffee and her favorite newspaper were the first thing on her "to do" list. Eunice was a great person, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She was loved by those who knew her. She will be missed.
Interment will be beside her husband in Golden Cemetery located west of Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
Graveside service will be Thursday at 1: p.m., December 8, 2016, officiated by Rev. Craig Seals.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Charlie Paul Holder, brothers, Otha, Roy, and George T. Childress, sisters Pearl Buck, Margie Childress, Nell Wetherington and grandson Ryan Sweeney.
She is survived by sons John Holder and wife Trudy of California, Thomas Holder of Arkansas, daughters Paula Pentaleri and husband Andrew of South Carolina, Betty Sweeney of California, and Melissa Mendoza and husband Joe of California; grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephew, and many friends.
Eunice was a strong person with an adventurous spirit; She made no secret of the fact that she was not fond of life on the farm. She moved to Baltimore, Maryland, a few weeks after graduating from Amity High School in 1942. She had fond memories of seeing an escalator for the first time and experiencing the convenience of a hot water heater after arriving in Maryland. She worked for Glen L Martin Aircraft Company (manufacturer of B-17 and B-24 bombers) . She programmed (wired the boards) of IBM Computers. She returned to Arkansas in 1944 and began working for the Army Ordinance Depot in Jacksonville, Arkansas.
Eunice met the love of her life and future husband, Charlie Paul Holder, while having dinner in a restaurant in Jacksonville. Charlie, a young soldier stationed at nearby Camp Robinson, noticed the name Amity on Eunice's class ring. A conversation started and an enduring romance was born. Eunice's job at the Ordinance Depot came to an end soon after the end of World War II. She moved to California and began work in a shipyard. She and Charlie Paul Holder were married in California in 1946. They raised five children. Charlie Paul passed away in 1966.
Eunice was very interested in her children's education. She took them to museums, art exhibits and baseball games to assure a well rounded education. She retired from Civil Service in 1984. She moved to Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 1988. She returned to California in 2010 and lived with her daughter Melissa and family. She loved being with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She enjoyed tending flowers, shopping, and especially reading. She was an early riser; a cup of coffee and her favorite newspaper were the first thing on her "to do" list. Eunice was a great person, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She was loved by those who knew her. She will be missed.
Interment will be beside her husband in Golden Cemetery located west of Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
Graveside service will be Thursday at 1: p.m., December 8, 2016, officiated by Rev. Craig Seals.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Eunice Holder, please visit our flower store.
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