Earl Clifton Holt

Earl Clifton Holt, a resident of Midwest City, Oklahoma, passed away January 7, 2016 at the age of 99 in his home on Emma Way. Born August 3, 1916 in Ravenden Springs, Arkansas, he was the son of James Allen Holt and Helen Elizabeth (Eaton) Holt. Landing in Normandy on D-Day +1, First Sergeant Holt stayed on the forward battle line until just short of reaching Berlin. Offered a battlefield commission he declined, thinking he would get out of the Army at the end of WW II. Following the War - after a stint of civilian life - he was attracted back into the Army through the Warrant Officer program and re-entered as a career soldier. Because Earl was a natural engineer and mechanically gifted he was used extensively by the Army to troubleshoot new systems at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland and in every assignment thereafter. He retired as a Chief Warrant Officer (CWO4) after 26 years of service - serving four tours in Germany, France, Korea, three in Ft Sill, Ft Hood, and as a Military Advisor to Gen. Chiang Kai-Shek’s General Staff in Taiwan. He loved old cars, dogs, and helpless creatures. He was at peace in the country and deeply enjoyed helping others solve any problem that had a technical bent. A very hard worker, his hobbies were related to fixing things… although he did have a weakness for watching wrestling and old country western music from the Hank Snow and Sons of the Pioneers era. Earl was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Nancy Anita Carroll Holt; his sister, Alma Gaither; brother, Lige Holt; and granddaughter, Tonya McDonald. Survivors include his son, Richard and wife Sarah Holt of San Diego and his daughter Jan and her husband Larry McDonald of Midwest City; three grandchildren, Travis McDonald; Caitlin McDonald Barton; and Bronwyn Holt Cole; three great-grandchildren; two brothers, Gene and Jim Holt, both of Midwest City; and two sisters, Kathryn Gaither Sadler of Nicoma Park; and Mary Lou Schmidt of Wellston; and a number of nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 13, 2015 at Bill Eisenhour Northeast Chapel, 8805 NE 23rd St., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with burial to follow at Carney Cemetery, Carney, Oklahoma.