Clyde Gayle Holmes

HOLMES, Clyde Gayle, age 85, passed away on Thursday, June 2, 2022. He was born in Merit, TX, on July 21, 1936. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde Prentice Holmes and Ruth Taggart Holmes; sister, Kathleen Holmes Trout; and nephew, Michael Lewis Troutt. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Bettie L. Holmes; daughter, Liz and husband, Steven; daughter, Janet and husband, Alec; daughter, Julie and husband Stan; grandchildren Hannah, Micah, Benjamin, and John Parker; step-grandchildren Skyler and Emma; niece Teresa Troutt Crow and several cousins, relatives, and friends. He enlisted in the United States Air Force (1954-1962 Airman First Class) soon after graduating from Greenville High School. After completing basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX, he was transferred to administrative duties at Wolters Air Force Base, Mineral Wells, Texas; Ladd Air Force Base, Fairbanks, Alaska; and Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas. His last assignment was at Reese Air Force Base in the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate (legal arm of the air force). His administrative duties at Reese AFB included filing claims against carriers for troops who had damaged property when returning from overseas duties, special investigations, and other court actions.

While in the Air Force, he earned a National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. He actively served in the Air Force for four years and inactively served another four years while attending college at East Texas State University. He graduated from ETSU with a bachelor's degree in journalism and went to work for E-Systems taking pictures of planes on the flight line. He later worked for the City of Dallas appraising properties and then moved to the water utilities department. He worked at the City of Dallas (primarily managing the water department budget) for a total of 23 years before retiring in 1996. At the time of his death, Clyde was a life-time member in good-standing with the Texas Masonic Lodge. He became a Mason on 5/26/1960, received his 25 year pin (6/1985), 40 year pin (6/2000), and 50 year pin (6/2010). He was a member of the East Fork Masonic Lodge (#650) in Wylie, TX.


Visitation will be held at Charles W. Smith funeral home in Sachse, TX, on Monday, June 13, 2022, from 5:00-7:00 PM. Burial will be at the DFW National Cemetery, on Tuesday, 10:00 AM on June 14. 2022.
A masonic memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 18, 6:00 PM, East Fork Masonic Lodge (#650), 508 Parker Rd., Wylie, TX, 75098. Reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, Clyde's family is requesting donations to be made in his honor to charities that were important to him: American Kidney Foundation, MD Anderson, or St. Jude's Children's Hospital.