MAJOR LEONARD HOLMES – CLASS OF 1956

MAJOR LEONARD HOLMES – CLASS OF 1956

Holmes, Leonard O., MAJ (Ret) of Kalamazoo, Michigan

1933 – 2004

Passed away Wednesday, September 29, 2004. Len was born October 26, 1933 in Battle Creek, MI, the son of Cleland E. and Francis (Smith) Holmes, and had been a resident of the Kalamazoo area for many years.

Len was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Kalamazoo, where he served as a Deacon and an Elder.

Len proudly served his country for 21 years (1951-1977) in the US Army Reserves, retiring as a Major. While in the Reserves, he served in the Quartermaster Corps, Medical Service and Military Intelligence, and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.

Len graduated from Western Michigan University with a B.S. in elementary education in 1956, an M.A. in educational leadership in 1961, and did graduate work at Michigan State University in school administration.

While at WMU, Len served as the President of the Western Student Association from 1954 to 1955. He was an elementary teacher and taught in the Lawrence Public Schools, Kalamazoo Public Schools and finally Portage Public Schools, where he was the Principal of Angling Road School from 1963 until 1994.

As an educator, Len established Grandparents Day at Angling Road School. He researched, planned and developed the Academically Gifted and Talented Program at the Portage Schools, which became a district-wide program. He served the US State Department as an educational consultant to the Near East, South Asia Conference in Istanbul, Turkey. He brought about a volunteer-built playground at Angling Road School. Len developed and coordinated the French-American Back to Back Program for Portage fifth graders. Len served as the Vice-President, President-elect and President of the Michigan Elementary and Middle Schools Principals Association from 1979 to 1983; was a board member of the National Association of Elementary School Principals, representing Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan, 1986 to 1989; and was selected for the Michigan Education Hall of Fame, 1996.

In his spare time Len was an avid bowler, golfer, and photographer, and a reader of history. He also enjoyed family, traveling, political events, attending the theatre and sporting events with his wife, Diane, who shared the same profession of education. On December 24, 1980, he married the former Diane Horton, who survives.

Len is also survived by his first wife, Janet (MacDonald) Henderson of Kalamazoo; his children, David L. (Janine) Holmes of Portage, Carol L. (Marty) Siegel of Scotts Valley, CA, Thomas M. (Kathy) Holmes of Omaha, NE, and Cindy (Owen) Doran of Mt. Horeb, WI; 6 grandchildren, Dan, Candace and Chelsea Holmes and Liam, Maureen and Aidan Doran; a brother, Jim R. (Sandi) Holmes of Landrum, SC; a sister, Nancy T. (Gary) Holtz of Charlotte, MI; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Glenn (Cindy) Harrison of Dayton, Ohio; nieces and nephews, Karen Lounsberry, JoAnn Holmes, Russell (Janet) Holmes, Carrie Harrison, Melissa (William) Kaly. He was preceded in death by his parents and 2 nephews. Len will be remembered as a leader, a devoted family man and for his love for children. Funeral services will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. Monday in the First Presbyterian Church, 321 W. South Street with Rev. Dr. David Van Arsdale and Rev. Kevin Holley officiating.