LeRoy Lyon Holt

LeRoy Lyon Holt, beloved husband of Jo Hamilton Holt of 28 years, passed to his eternal life on Wednesday, August 19, 2015. LeRoy was 91 years old at the time of his death. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama on January 31, 1924 to LeRoy and Alice Lillian Holt. He attended Phillips High School, Birmingham Southern College, and Emory University where he obtained his Medical Degree. He met Anne Elizabeth Owen at Birmingham Southern and they married in 1947. After 2 deployments as a Hospital Corpsman in the Navy during WWII and the Korean Conflict, Dr. Holt started his practice at Lloyd Nolan Hospital. He was then recruited to Bessemer, Alabama as a family practitioner/surgeon, where he practiced for 47 years until his retirement in 1998. LeRoy was an Elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Bessemer until its closing. While there he was a Sunday School teacher and coach for both the men’s and women’s Friendship Sunday School classes. He then became a Charter Member of Shepherd of the Valley Presbyterian Church in McCalla, Alabama. Throughout his life he was known to all as a giving man, always helping his fellow citizens. Over the years Dr. Holt received many community honors and awards including: Kiwanian of the Year, Bessemer Lions Club Man of the Year, Silver Beaver Award by the Boy Scouts of America for providing physicals to scouts attending Camp Arrowhead, Bessemer Area Chamber of Commerce Most Outstanding Member and Community Service Award, and President of the Bessemer Area Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Holt was elected President of the Alabama Medical Association and awarded the Faculty Teaching Award from the UAB Presidents Program. His hobby was recruiting family practice medical students for the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham and a member of the UAB Admissions Board. Dr. Holt was preceded in death by his parents LeRoy Holt and Alice Lillian Lyon Holt, his wife of 38 years Anne Elizabeth Owen Holt, and his daughter Bettye Burwell Holt. He is survived by his loving wife Jo Hamilton Holt, sons and daughter-in-laws, Harry Owen and Valerie Holt, Bruce Lyon Holt, David LeRoy and Christy Holt, John Bestor and Judy Holt, Whitson and Connie Walker, J. Allen and Shea Walker. He is also survived by grandchildren, Owen and Julie Holt, Christopher and Tiffany Bell, Andrew and Stacey Bell, LeRoy and Kimberly Holt, Adam Long, Kara Holt, Kyle Walker, Eleanora Walker, Colin Walker and Cameron Walker and great grandchild, Payton Elizabeth Bell, Logan Boyd and Ethan Boyd. Arrangements are as follows: Ridout’s Elmwood Chapel in Birmingham on Saturday, August 22, 2015. Visitation starts at 10:00am and funeral services will follow at 11:00am. Graveside at Elmwood Cemetery immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to a charity of your choice.