Lt. Col. Charles B. Holding Jr. (84yr.), beloved husband, father, and grandfather passed away on 16 April 2015. He was a resident of Colorado Springs since 1978.
He was born on 20 May 1930 to Charles B. Holding Sr. and Francis (Gauntt) Holding in Waco, Texas. As a graduate of Waco High School, Chuck excelled at track and field winning the state high jump in 1948. His ability landed him a scholarship to East Texas State University, graduating in 1954, where Chuck set many national records in the high jump and was inducted into the East Texas and NAIA Halls of Fame.
Chuck married Elizabeth Banks of Sulphur Springs Texas in 1951. They were married for 29 years having 4 children. In 1954 Chuck was commissioned into the USAF serving 28 years in the National Security Agency. He had many assignments around the world. After his last assignment at NORAD, he retired to Colorado Springs. He married Barbara (Marlowe) Holding on 11 March 1995.
Chuck was a railroad enthusiast and a member of the Rocky Mountain G Scalers. He enjoyed gardening as a certified Master Gardener. He was a member of the Sunrise Methodist Church and Soli Deo Gloria Choirs. Other hobbies included oil painting, playing the banjo, and chess.
He is survived by his loving wife Barbara (Marlowe) Holding, his children Candice Jean Jackson, Charles B. Holding 3rd, Carol Holding, Clifford Gauntt Holding, step children David Thomson (Mary Kay), Debra Thomson, Lynn (Debbie) O’Neal, Jon O’Neal, 16 grandchildren, and 9 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by Elizabeth (Banks) Holding (1988) and Anne (O’Neal) Holding (1993).
A family memorial will be held at a later date in July. Memorials in Chuck’s name may be made to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region.