Carl Holt

Carl Duane Holt, son of Carl and Edith Mae Holt, was born on November 11, 1921 in Hooker, a small town in the Oklahoma Panhandle.
He had a brother, Harold Deane, born six year later.
The parents operated a State Bank in the nearby small town of Optima.  Carl D. attended grade school there until ready for the eighth grade.
Due to a declining bank business, the bank was dissolved and the family moved to Guymon, Oklahoma.  His father, having local farming interests, had decided to become a farm implement dealer for the area.   Carl D. enrolled in the eighth grade and later became a Freshman in the local High School.  The dealership activity was found more satisfactory thank banking.   The economy was not exactly good at this time and the drought period was forming the Dust Bowl of the Dirty Thirties.
A sister of Carl D.’s mother, Dicie Fogelsong, living in Los Angeles, urged the family to try living in California.  A decision was made to try that for a short time.  After a satisfactory rental place was found, Carl D. enrolled as a Sophomore in the nearby Manual Arts High School.  About one year later his family returned to Guymon where Carl D. enrolled to finish his Sophomore year.
The Big Depression Period and the Dirty Thirties worsened during this time frame forcing his father to seek livelihood elsewhere.   At the invitation of his father’s sister, Bessie Fuquay, a Doctor’s wife, the family moved to Grandfield, Oklahoma in the southern part of the state.  There the father became a silent partner in a Hardware Store.  Carl D. enrolled as a Junior in the High School.
About one year later his father was approached by a friend that was a Regional Manager for the Minneapolis Moline Farm Equipment Company.  The region included Great Bend in central Kansas.  He was encouraged to take over a Farm Equipment Dealership available in Great Bend.  The opportunity sounded very attractive, therefore the family moved to Great Bend.  Carl D. enrolled for Senior year in High School and graduated in Spring of 1939.  The move proved to be a good decision.
A period of unrest and WAR had developed in Europe with Germany seeking domination.
Carl D. tried college for two years with disappointing results by not being focused on schooling.  The United States had declared war on Germany.
Carl D. joined the Naval Air Force with approval from his parents.  He adapted readily to the military training leading to earning his Ensign rank and was designated as a Naval Aviator.  His training included piloting of single engine aircraft, multi-engine seaplane, and four engine Liberator Bomber.
His overseas assignment was to join a Patrol Squadron that was engaged in Anti-Submarine Warfare.   The Squadron was based in England southwest of London near Exeter.  Thirty-eight (38) missions were completed with an Air Medal and a Distinguished Flying Cross Medal awarded.  He rose to the rank of Lieutenant(jg).
Following separation from the Navy in 1945 he enrolled in the Engineering School at Kansas State University graduating in 1948 with a BSME degree.  Just before entering school he found a wonderful farm girl, Marian Asher, who agreed to marry him on August 22, 1946.
Since employment opportunities after graduation were dismal, he joined his father in farming near Guymon.  After ten years of farming and age 35, he sought employment and was accepted as an Engineer in the Test Laboratory of the Bendix Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri.  A move to Overland Park, Kansas was made.
During the farming years at Guymon, four children, Rick, Mark, Jeff, and Kathy were born.
After the move to Overland Park, the youngest son, Jeff, died at five years of age.  A few years later another son, Matt, was born.
The family religious ties were Methodist.
After the children reached maturity and had left the household, he and Marian affiliated with the local Emmanuel Baptist Church.
Carl D. loved to fly airplanes.  While working at Bendix, he joined a flying club.  The club flew a single engine Piper Comanche.  Many hours of flying were enjoyed until he reached the age of 80 years.  At that point, the club membership was sold.
Carl worked for 35 years and retired at 70 years of age.  He enjoyed his entire set of responsibilities.
Following retirement, he finished the basement of the current residence making it a recreation area plus shop and storage area.
With that major work completed, he and Marian lived a leisurely life.  The occasionally traveled to visit the children and relatives in diverse locations.
Carl has been satisfied with all life experiences and has no regrets.
Visitation and Funeral will be Tuesday, October 25 at Johnson County Chapel, 11200 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, Kansas.  Burial, with military honors, will follow at Johnson County Memorial Gardens.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be to Wounded Warrior Project or the Kansas City Hospice House.

HIGH FLIGHT by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
Oh!  I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;  Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds,--and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence.  Hov’ring there I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air..up, up the long, delirious, burning blue I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace where the lark or even eagle flew—and, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space, put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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