More detail on this person: William "Bill"
Foster Holmes, Sr., 73, of Wilkes-Barre, passed
away on Monday, Dec. 12, 2016, in the Department
of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Plains
Township.
He was born in Wilkes-Barre on May 8, 1943, the
son of the late William James Holmes and Lois
Patricia (Hicks).
Bill was raised in the Wilkes-Barre area, while
attending and graduating from the Wilkes-Barre
city school district. He also furthered his
education with a couple years of college after
high school, but his real passion was flying. He
began his flying lessons at 16, with fixed wing
planes at the Forty Fort Airport. It was not long
after that when he began his career as a pilot in
the United States Army. He enlisted in 1963 and
graduated from the U.S. Army Artillery and Missile
Officers Candidate School in 1965.
By 1966, Bill was a helicopter pilot for the Army
and served two tours in Vietnam. While there, he
flew UH1's (Hueys) and CH-54's (Sky Cranes). He
often volunteered to fly behind enemy lines to
rescue ground troops pinned down by enemy fire.
Because of these heroic deeds, he was awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze
Star. Upon Bill's honorable discharge from the
Army in 1972, he achieved the rank of U.S. Army
Captain.
After his discharge, Bill returned to the
Wilkes-Barre area and pursued employment as a
bar owner and a real estate agent. He also stayed
active with the Army National Guard until retiring
in 1990. His last position of employment was at
the State Correctional Institution in Dallas,
until 1994, when he suffered a massive stroke.
In March of 1997, he became a resident of the
Veterans Administration Community Living Center,
where daily visits from family, television and
bingo occupied most of his days. Bill was very
outgoing and colorful in his speech, as he was
loved and respected by the VA staff, receiving the
best possible care from management, doctors,
nurses, aides, recreation and respiratory and
dietary departments. He also enjoyed the
camaraderie of the other residents, and the
employed veterans within the VA living center. He
will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in
death by his sister, Patricia Yates; and his
stepfather, Walter Shelhamer.
Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of
nearly 52 years, Carolee A. Long Holmes; sons,
William F. Holmes, Jr. and wife, Mary Grace,
Worcester, Mass.; Frederick Holmes, New York,
N.Y.; Thomas James, Wilkes-Barre; daughter,
Carolee Anne Holmes, Wilkes-Barre; grandchildren,
William Edward and Ellette; his "adopted" son
Kevin, Delray Beach, Fla.; several cousins; nieces
and nephews.
Family and friends are invited to pay their
respects from 6 until 8 p.m. Wednesday at Kniffen
O'Malley Leffler Funeral & Cremation Services
Inc., 465 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre. A private
burial will take place at the convenience of the
family. In lieu of flowers, the family has
requested that individuals donate as much time as
possible to the local Veterans Administration
Center of their choosing. Online condolences can
be left at kniffenfuneralhome.com.
This information was last updated 12/28/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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