Richard Holmes

Richard (or “Dick” to his colleagues) was born in Santa Ana on May 26, 1934, to George and Margaret Holmes. He and his older brother, Tom, enjoyed their early years in south Santa Ana until the early death of their father in 1941. During the war years, Richard moved to Duarte where his mother served as postmaster during his uncle’s enlistment.

Returning to Santa Ana in 1946, he attended Santa Ana schools graduating from Santa Ana High in 1952. Richard headed off to UC Berkeley where he majored in Economics and pledged Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. After college, Richard started his lifetime banking career.

Richard had met La Vonne Dohm in the 6th grade, and in 1956 they married at Santa Ana First Christian Church and started their family of 4 children in Tustin. Into the 1970s, Richard was active in the community and the church, and helped with the establishment of El Dorado Bank. In 1978, Richard and La Vonne moved to Downey with their youngest daughter. In 1985, Richard founded Downey National Bank, becoming President and CEO.

In Downey, Richard was an active member of the YMCA, Chamber of Commerce, First Baptist Church, Community Hospital Foundation and Symphonic Society, and continued his participation in Kiwanis, serving as a founding member of the Downey Kiwanis Foundation and as Lieutenant Governor in 2005.

After the sale of the bank in 2000, Richard retired and in 2008 returned to Tustin and his Orange County roots, joining Kings Class at Trinity Church. In retirement, Richard spent his days playing bridge, walking a little white dog, traveling to Maui and around the globe, and recently could be seen pedaling his trike around Enderle Gardens with the Tustin Trikers.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents (Margaret and George), his brothers (George and Tom), his daughter (Dianne), and his granddaughter (Karlye). He is survived by his wife (La Vonne), three children (Greg, Keith and Julie) along with their spouses, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

Friends and family are invited to attend a Celebration of Life for Richard, which will be officiated by his grandson, Michel, at Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 24 at 3 pm.

A link to watch the live-stream of the Trinity Church service can be found here: https://subsplash.com/trinityunitedpresbyteria/media/mi/+2bwqqr2

Donations in memory of Richard are welcomed in support of the Downey Kiwanis Foundation and UCI MIND.