John Holt

1931- 2017

John was born September 5, 1931 in Elko, Georgia to Eddie Holt and Minnie Napier. As a teenager, he moved to Jacksonville, Florida where he later began work as a porter on the Seaboard Coastline Railroad after leaving Seaboard Coastline Railroad he moved to the Florida East coast Railroad and that’s where he became the first black conductor of the South. In the 1960s, John became a locomotive engineer for Florida East coast rail way and was amongst the first Black locomotive engineers in the country.

In 1976, John moved to Colorado where he worked at the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo as a test train engineer. In 1992, after more than 40 years on the rail, John retired. After retiring from the trains, he worked as an usher and assistant house manager at the Pikes Peak Center.

John was a longstanding member of St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church and the Security Lion’s Club. John strongly Believed in volunteerism and lived that belief though his own volunteer work.

John is preceded in death by his parents and eight brothers and sisters. He is survived by his son Donald Holt, daughter Elizabeth (Holt) Durr, son-in-law Gregory Durr, granddaughters Camille Durr, Tina Garcia, and Evelyn Garcia, sister Clara Cooper and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on March 25, 2017 at St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church 802 Leta Drive Security, Colorado 80911 at 2pm, with interment in the church columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church or The Cancer Foundation.

John Timothy “JT” Holt

1931- 2017

John was born September 5, 1931 in Elko, Georgia to Eddie Holt and Minnie Napier. As a teenager, he moved to Jacksonville, Florida where he later began work as a porter on the Seaboard Coastline Railroad. After many years on the SCR, John earned the distinction of becoming the first Black conductor of a passenger line in the South. In the 1960s, John became a locomotive engineer for SCR and then later for the Florida East coast rail way and was amongst the first Black locomotive engineers in the country.

In 1976, John moved to Colorado where he worked at the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo as a test train engineer. In 1992, after more than 40 years on the rail, John retired. After retiring from the trains, he worked as an usher and assistant house manager at the Pikes Peak Center.

John is preceded in death by his parents and eight brothers and sisters. He is survived by his son Donald Holt and daughter-in-law Lindsey, granddaughter Kuwanya Nwanegbo, great grandsons Bryce, Isaiah, Elisha, Step child Marcelyn Fleming, Andrea Lawson, Glen Morison, daughter Elizabeth (Holt) Durr, son-in-law Gregory Durr, granddaughters Camille Durr, Tina Garcia, and Evelyn Garcia, sister Clara Cooper, numerous nieces and nephews and dearest friend Lula Garnett.