Beloved Holdenville Citizen Gene Holliman Passes Away
Donald “Gene” Holliman, age 75, gained his perfect healing on June 12, 2023. He was born April 28, 1948, in Holdenville, Oklahoma, to Harvey and Myrtle Holliman.
Gene grew up in the Atwood and Holdenville areas. He lived at the Holdenville Fish Hatchery where his Dad was the local fish hatchery man. He was in the last graduating class of Atwood and received his Associate’s Degree from Eastern Oklahoma State College. He also attended East Central University. In 1971 he married Donna English. They had two children Angie and Todd.
Gene worked at Burton IGA as a teenager and young adult. He was a dispatcher with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol before beginning his work for the state of Oklahoma with the Department of Human Services. He worked with the adult protection services program for many years before being named County Director of Hughes County and later Seminole County as well.
Gene was an amazing man of God. He attended the 4th and Broadway Church of Christ for many years. Most recently, he attended and was an Elder at the East Main Church of Christ. Gene was civic and community minded. He had a passion for helping others and serving our local communities. He served multiple terms on the Holdenville City Council. He was a member of the Hughes County Historical Society and appreciated all those who contributed to and preserved local history.
Gene was involved with the Holdenville Recreational Authority where he held several board positions in addition to coaching many of Todd’s little league soccer, basketball, and baseball teams along with his brother-in-law Hal. Gene had his officiating licenses in football, basketball, and baseball. And, he was a proud member of the Holdenville Booster Club and held offices there too for many years. Gene served as volunteer statistician for the Holdenville Public Schools’ football and basketball teams for decades. He loved the Wolverines and forged many lifelong friendships with the coaches, school personnel, and players. The school showed their love for him when they presented Gene his very own letterman’s jacket just a couple of years ago. It was something he treasured greatly.
Gene was an avid Oklahoma Sooner, Dallas Cowboys, and Oklahoma City Thunder fan and enjoyed attending many of their sporting events over the years. He also greatly enjoyed attending Texas Rangers baseball games and grew up watching the New York Yankees. Gene loved the outdoors and was quite the quail hunter and fisherman in his younger years. He instilled his love for fishing in his children and grandchildren. When Angie and Todd were growing up there were few weekends the family was not at the lake with the Epperleys. After retirement Gene and Donna enjoyed traveling with friends and saw a lot of unique landmarks in the United States.
Gene’s pride and joy were his two grandsons Bryr Lane and Tytan Gene. Most recently he enjoyed watching Bryr work with and show his sheep and getting involved with the Holdenville FFA program. He was also excited that Tytan had enjoyed his first year in school. Gene also loved to plant and work in his vegetable garden each year. He was literally in the garden with his grandsons the night before he fell ill. He was known to deliver veggies to various people all over town. Gene also enjoyed cooking with his fresh vegetables. One of Angie’s favorite things was to be called and asked if she wanted a BLT with some of his home-grown tomatoes.
Gene was well-known in Holdenville and very well respected. He was mild mannered and a true leader. One of his former employees shared that even when he had to correct or redirect you, he did it in a loving manner and made you feel better about yourself and your job when you left his office. He used every negative as a learning experience and never made her feel stupid or incompetent. A friend shared that she will remember the good Christian man he was and another shared he will remember his love for teaching and sharing the word of God.
Many used the word or phrases to describe Gene in their tributes to him: wonderful, one of the good ones, kind, a truly great man, a great friend to others, amazing person with a fabulous smile, a man with a true tender and caring heart, a good friend and man who cared so much for his family and community, a person who would do anything for anyone who needed it, a true mentor and one of the finest men I have ever met, a true servant’s heart, truly the list goes on and on.
One of the tributes to Gene said that the town of Holdenville has suffered a great loss. And, a good friend shared that not many people could tell him anything when he was 30-years-old but knew when Gene talked he had to listen. He went on to express his gratefulness for Gene’s mentorship and life lessons. Gene’s family was made aware of how great the impact he had on people truly was the afternoon of his death when nurses and therapists who had worked with him over the last several weeks flooded the room to pay their respects. One caregiver said that it had been a true honor to care for such an incredible man. Gene’s personality was evident through even during the most difficult of times.
Gene is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Donna; children, Angie Cole and Todd Holliman (fiancé Kylie); grandchildren Bryr Holliman and Tytan Holliman; sister, Jo Ann Sterling; and sisterin- law Sue Holliman; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends who he loved so dearly. Gene was preceded in death by his father, Harvey Holliman, Sr.; mother, Myrtle Holliman; sister, Frankie Luna; brother, Harvey Holliman, Jr.; mother-inlaw, Gwen English; and son-in-law, Michael Cole.
A celebration of life for Gene was held Saturday, June 17, 2023, at 11:00 am at the East Main Church of Christ with burial in the Holdenville Cemetery. Josh Moyer and Terry Newell officiated. Pallbearers were Bryr Holliman, Tytan Holliman, Chad Epperley, Wyatt Epperley, Pat Brown, Chris Goforth, Greg Gandy, Randy Fennell, and Ronnie Bankston. Honorary pallbearers included Earl Dunkleberger, Jeff Hinze, Butch Rawls, Mike Patterson, Jerry O’Steen, Mike Holliman, Keith Holliman, Jay Roberts, Shawn Roberts, and Mike Brown.
The family wishes to express their sincerest gratitude for all the many acts of love shown to them during this difficult time. They especially would like to thank Holdenville Chief of Police Kyle Lening, Hughes County Sheriff’s Department, Holdenville Fire Department, Hughes County EMS, and the AirEvac medical team out of Seminole for going above and beyond when they answered the call for help on March 28. The genuine care and assistance you provided not just Gene, but the family as well, will forever be remembered and is greatly appreciated. They also wish to express their gratitude to the medical staff at Mercy Hospital as well as the amazing nurses and respiratory therapists at AMG Specialty Hospital in Oklahoma City.
Gene is greatly missed, but the legacy he left will carry on in all those who knew and loved him. To honor Gene the family respectfully asks that you donate to the Holdenville FFA, 210 Grimes, Holdenville, OK 74848 or to the Thomas-Breeding- Buckley Post 32 American Legion, P.O. Box 411, Holdenville, OK 74848.
