Clyde Raymond Holmes

Clyde Holmes of Knoxville, Tennessee passed away peacefully at home, December 14, 2024. Clyde was raised on a small tobacco and dairy farm in Coopertown, Tennessee, the son of Edward and Elizabeth Holmes. He attended high school in nearby Springfield, where he was voted senior class president and excelled in basketball and football, graduating in 1952. It was there that he met his high school sweetheart, Connie Weaver, and they shared 67 years of married life.

Upon graduation from Springfield High School, Clyde attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville on a Future Farmers of America scholarship. He would hitchhike home to Springfield on weekends to see Connie until they married and he moved her to Knoxville, living at the Alhambra Motor Lodge on Kingston Pike where Clyde worked as the night clerk. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Dairy Science in 1956 and he moved Connie to Fort Knox, Kentucky, to fulfill his ROTC commitment. They then returned to Springfield where Clyde first tested milk for the state and then worked for Jersey Farms dairy in Nashville while he maintained status as an officer in the Army Reserve. In 1962 Clyde returned to Knoxville as manager of the University of Tennessee’s Dairy Experiment Station on Alcoa Highway, where he remained until retiring in 1999. As manager of the Dairy Farm, Clyde completed a master’s degree in animal husbandry, managed research into the care and feeding of dairy cows, produced milk for the UT Dairy Science Creamery and local milk providers, mentored hundreds of College of Agriculture students, and hosted thousands of local children on elementary school field trips to the farm.

Clyde served in the Army Reserve’s 844th Engineer Battalion as a staff officer and commander, eventually retiring from the Army Reserve as a Colonel. Clyde was a member of Lake Hills Presbyterian Church, serving as an Elder for many years.

Clyde was an exceptional Dad, Granddad, and Great-granddad, always there at games, practices, and events, and always ready to share a word of encouragement. He was a dedicated UT fan, rarely missing a football or basketball game, and although he might express his ire about the referees or opposing coaches, he never had a bad word for the Volunteers.

Upon retirement, Clyde remained in South Knoxville and enjoyed traveling the country and the world with Connie, mentoring students at Mount Olive Elementary, volunteering at Second Harvest food bank, playing bridge, gardening, and spending time with his family and friends. His quiet integrity and kind spirit were the defining elements in an exceptional leadership career and he remained true to his faith, his country, and the extended family he loved so well.

Preceding him in death are his wife, Connie Weaver Holmes, and brother Louis Holmes. He is survived by brother, Jim Holmes; sons, Mike Holmes, General, USAF (ret) and Dr. Patrick Holmes, along with their wives, Sara Lewis Holmes and Dr. Jill Wilson Holmes; grandchildren, Dr. Rebecca Holmes Sandoval, Capt Wade Holmes and his wife Leah, Jeb Holmes, and Jesse Holmes; great-grandchildren Ramona, Emma, Abigail, Rose, Josephine, and Wade Jr.; nieces and nephews, Debby and Ed New, Melissa and Michael Milton; grand-nephews and nieces, Nichols and Megan Bender and son, Caleb, Manning and John Borden and children Mac and Margot, McCabe Milton, and MaryClaire and Brian Smith.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the caregivers and staff at UT Hospice and A-1 Elder Care for treating Clyde like a member of their own families during his last weeks.

A graveside service will be held at East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery on Friday, January 3, 2025 at 10am. Receiving of family and friends will be held on Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 4pm at Lake Hills Presbyterian Church with a memorial service to follow at 5pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Second Harvest Food Bank.