Edwin G. Holt ’35

Edwin G. Holt ’35 (Lt. Col., U.S. Army) passed away in Thousand Oaks, Calif., on June 2 and went to eternal peace with the Lord. He was a friend, counselor, and leader to all who knew him and will be greatly missed. Mr. Holt was born in Greensboro, N.C., in 1914. He graduated from Davidson with a commission as an officer in the U.S. Army. He married Dorothy Creech of Smithfield, N.C., and went to work in New York City for Cone Mills, one of the world’s largest textile companies. Mr. Holt was recalled in 1942 by the Army and assigned to the 329th Regiment, 83rd Division for training in preparation for the invasion of Europe. He landed at Normandy, commanded troops and fought through the hedgerows near Carentan, France, and was wounded in the fighting. After recovering from his wounds, he returned to France and commanded two Allied prisoner of war camps holding over 100,000 prisoners. He is the recipient of numerous medals and awards, including the Combat Infantry Medal, Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Battle Ribbons with Two Stars. After the war, he returned to work for Cone Mills, living in New Orleans, then Dallas, and was promoted to vice president and national sales manager in New York City. He lived in Summit, N.J., for 30 years and was a member of Central Presbyterian Church and Canoe Brook Country Club. He retired after a 44-year career at Cone Mills and moved to Thousand Oaks, Calif., in 1981 so that he and his wife, Dorothy, could be near their son’s family. After moving to Thousand Oaks, he enjoyed playing golf and worshiping with friends and family at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church. He was active in the Sergeant Michael A. DiRaimondo Chapter of Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Conejo Valley Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars, and received the Patrick Henry Medal for Patriotism. His loving wife, Dorothy, passed away in 1999. Edwin was blessed with a very close relationship with his family and friends, and with his faith. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He is survived by his son, Edwin C. Holt (Susan), 295 Bethany Ct., Thousand Oaks, CA 91360; his grandson, Edwin L. Holt; and his granddaughter, Kari Endries (Robert), and her sons, Alexander and Jack.