David Potter Holmlund

With hearts of sorrow, gratitude and joy, the family of David Holmlund is privileged to share news of his peaceful passing into eternal life on October 2, 2021. We are our stories and Dave’s is a happy one.

David Potter Holmlund was born on December 7, 1937, in Salamanca, New York, a point of pride for him that it is the only U.S. city within an Indian reservation. David grew up in nearby Jamestown, where his dad was a doctor at the local hospital and his mom a teacher. Sadly, he remembered his 4th birthday party being interrupted by the adults becoming very upset. They were in shock as the result of David’s first-ever News Bulletin, the Attack on Pearl Harbor.

As a boy growing up in a small town, Dave read comic books and “Popular Mechanics,” liked to tinker and build models, ride his bike and dream of becoming a radio broadcaster in New York City. David graduated with a degree in History from Hamilton College in 1960 where he sang in the Choir and was the travel manager for concerts. He went on to receive his Master’s degree in Radio and Television from Syracuse in 1961. After graduation, David was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Cold War and served for two years in Karlsruhe, Germany as a medic. Afterwards he traveled to Great Britain, Switzerland and Sardinia before beginning his job search.

Now he was ready for his career to get started. David became the first news director for WRAN radio, a station about to open in northern New Jersey in 1964. His was the first voice on-air. Dave valued his work of reporting local and state news, and almost as equally, hiring and mentoring reporters new to the profession. Later when they reached their goals for success, several called David their “best boss” on the way to fulfilling careers.

WRAN is also where he met Mary Ursillo, who had joined the station to write ad copy and record voiceovers. Mary had a little office rule not to date anyone she worked with but had to make an exception for the eve of David’s birthday, fittingly a Broadway revival of “The Front Page.” They were married in Baha’i and Catholic ceremonies on December 6, 1970, exactly one year after their first “date”. Mary’s mother, three sisters and three brothers warmly welcomed David and truly loved him as one of the family. On December 6, 2020 in quarantine, the couple was peacefully happy and feeling blessed to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary with their sons, Ted in Lake Forest with them and Andrew in spirit from Washington State.

David was the top anchor for morning and evening newscasts for 11 years at WRAN before fulfilling his Jamestown goal: WCBS Newsradio 880 in New York City. He worked for 35 years in Manhattan as a news producer/writer/editor before retiring at age 72. He was a natural at the news business and loved everything about the work: radio’s ever-changing deadlines and headlines, technologies, days/nights/weekends and years of cherished friendships among his colleagues, Writers’ Guild members and attendees at the CBS Alumni Luncheons. David continued to be a faithful WCBS listener and voracious reader of the newspapers in-hand and online up until his passing.

Dave’s first love was Mary and his sons Ted and Andrew. They moved to Lake Forest in 1978 and had many happy years there. Despite working overnights (prime news hours) David always found time for his family and projects around his home. He could fix anything. A die-hard Yankees fan, Dave was an assistant coach for his sons’ teams. He loved driving and summer car trips were fun. Wherever their travels took them, David located a church for Mary and the boys for Sunday mass. His wit, wisdom, and warm sense of humor truly lightened life all around him.

Fondly known as “Uncle Dave,” he was close to each generation as the families grew. Updating their family trees was a favorite hobby. He was looked for and present at all important ceremonies, baptisms, birthdays, communions, confirmations, graduations, showers and weddings. One brother-in-law kidded that Dave attended more masses than many Catholics.

On Dave’s side, Jim and Hazel’s family had settled in Sardinia, Northern Ireland, Italy, France and Switzerland. The “DaveMary Holmlund” Facebook site kept them close. Dave especially enjoyed being a tour guide for distant loved ones, which included sporting events, The Big Apple, shopping trips, the fall foliage trip to Vermont as well as rides to the airport for pickups and deliveries. The love David expressed for family life is too vast for one obituary.

David was a devout member of the Baha’i faith, “One Planet, One People … Please.” He was beloved to his mother Dorothy, father Dr. Theodore Holmlund and brother, Jim who predeceased him. Dave was survived by his cousin Peter McLaren, regarded by Dave as a brother. In fact, Peter named his son after David. David McLaren and his sister live in the U.S. Peter and Susan lived in Venezuela until moving to Puerto Rico. Dave, Mary, Ted and Andrew never made it to Maracaibo but had a great visit to see them and their daughter Nuri in San Juan.

Dave’s dad and his wife, Helen Reine, had four sons and a daughter who live in California, Texas and Idaho. Dave often mentioned his Holmlund brothers and sister Nancy Swanson with affection. It was a banner event when the Holmlund families came to Jamestown in 2004 for a family reunion.

By now, you can feel the joy in Dave’s story. However, a new development occurred after years of good health. Starting this April, Dave required hospital and rehab care for assisted breathing due to recurring pneumonia and complications from Parkinson’s. Despite this serious setback, Dave never wavered from his deep calm, loving spirit and kind smile. He was so loved by all and will be missed.

David is survived by Mary, Ted and Andrew, who express great gratitude for the loving prayers, good wishes, texts, cards and support from family, friends, neighbors as well as the medical community at St. Clare’s/Denville, St. Joseph’s/Wayne and Lakeview Rehab Center/Wayne.

A private prayer service was held in his memory at the Goble Funeral Home in Sparta, N.J. David was laid to rest in the Presbyterian-Methodist Cemetery beside his mother’s grave.

O God! Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself. I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord.

Abdu’l-Baha