He was united in marriage to Iva Celeste Yates on September 19, 1946 at Pocahontas, Arkansas. Mr. and Mrs. Holden lived in Fisk for several years prior to moving to Dexter. Mrs. Holden survives.
Mr. Holden was a founding member of the Southwest Church of the Nazarene in Dexter and most recently had been attending the First Baptist Church in Dexter. He was a veteran of the United States Army Air Force.
He was the owner of Verlin Holden and Sons Sawmill and Lumber Company. Demp was a lifelong sawmiller and has cut and sold timber everywhere from the Ozark Hills of Missouri, to the swamps of western Kentucky, to the mountains of Colorado and finally the flat land and river banks of Southeast Missouri. It was early in 1980, as the economy hardened, when Mr. Holden told his youngest son, “We need to find ways to capitalize on our scrap from the saw mill”…. On that day a dream was born which led to the formation of Holden Pallet Company in Dexter. Holden Pallet has grown to one of the largest manufacturers of pallets in the Midwest.
Since his retirement, Demp has become an avid golfer. He enjoyed spending time with his family, friends and golfing buddies and imparted infinite love and wisdom on everyone he met.
Besides his wife, he is survived by three sons, Bill Holden, Stephen W. Holden and wife Mary Kay and Timothy Ray Holden and wife Julie all of Dexter: by two daughters, Geneva Diane Garrett and husband David of San Antonio, Texas; and Terri Rene Morgan and husband Robert of Dexter: by sixteen grandchildren and their spouses, Jamie and Johnny Manees of Dexter, Andrew and Amy Holden of Dudley, Natalie D. and Edward A. Riley II of Dexter, Stephen Ryan and Lindsay Emelio Holden of Dexter, Alexa Atkinson of Poplar Bluff, Brian David and Betsy Garrett of Olathe, Kansas, Bradley Holden Garrett of San Anotonio, Texas, Geoffrey Phillip Garrett of San Antonio, Texas, Jason Lee and Cristi Jo Comfort of Dexter, Joshua S. Comfort of Dexter, Shelly Renee and Wade Wingfield of Henderson, Kentucky, Jennifer M. and Quinton Stone of Henderson, Kentucky, Amy N. and Kip Lemons of Dexter, Robert J. Morgan Jr. of Essex, Tyler and Jeannie Holden of Dexter and Chance Holden of Dexter: by twenty three great-grandchildren, Austin Manees, Alexis Holden, Camden Lewis Riley, Avery Catherine Riley, Amelia James Holden, Emma Kay Pennington, Phillip Montgomery Garrett, Maci Jo Comfort, Cali Celeste Comfort, Jase Holden Comfort, Clair Paige Comfort, Wyatt Riley Comfort, Charlie Katelyn Comfort, Jessica Shaw, Jonathon Wingfield, Issac Wingfield, Ava Stone, Eli Stone, Addyson Atherton, Aslyn Lemons, Kylee Morgan, Taylor Morgan and Ashton Holden: by one sister, Pauline Bailey of McKinney, Texas.
Besides his parents he was preceded in death by seven brothers, Sterling Holden, Earl Holden, Cleo Holden, Sam Holden, Carl Holden, R.M. “Mock” Holden, A.D. “Dink” Holden and by one sister, Emma Jean Hall.
Friends may call at the First Baptist Church in Dexter from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday, March 29, 2012. Funeral services will be conducted at 12 p.m., Friday, March 30, 2012 in the First Baptist Church in Dexter with Rev. Wayne Dismuke officiating. Interment will follow in the Dexter Cemetery with full military honors.
Memorials may be made to the Alzheimers Association, 9370 Olive Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri 63132.
Mrs. Unger was a member of the Trinity United Methodist Church in Bloomfield, Missouri and a member of the Bloomfield Chapter #385 Order of Eastern Star. She was a former Secretary for IXL in Dexter and Bernie, a former cashier at the Bank of Bloomfield and former secretary for Griffin Contracting in Bloomfield. Mildred was also a resident of Bloomfield, Missouri.
On April 11, 1946 she was united in marriage to Bloyce Unger in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Mr. Unger preceded her in death on October 2, 1987.
Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Carolyn Van Sandt and Jack of Longwood, Florida; by one special cousin, Lorene Welch of Cape Girardeau; by two grandchildren, Mark Alan Van Sandt and Michelle Van Sandt; two great-grandchildren, Christian Van Sandt and Noah Van Sandt; also by several nieces and nephews, Bill Unger of Sikeston, Gary Unger of St. Louis, , Mina Voss of Dexter, Sue Hoskins of Brighton, Illinois, Jo Kearnes of Wooster, Ohio, Kay Anderson of Bloomfield and Marilyn Anderson of Dexter.
Friends may call from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., Thursday, March 29, 2012 at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter. Funeral services will then be conducted on at 2 p.m., Friday, March 30, 2012 in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter with Rev. Kevin Eskew officiating. Interment will follow at the Bloomfield Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri.
Demp Holden, a resident of Dexter, passed away Tuesday, March 27, 2012, at the Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau at the age of 86,
Arrangements are incomplete at this time and will be announced later by the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.
Floyd Allen, son of the late Jack and Bessie Harlow Allen, was born in Shelby County, Illinois on October 3, 1915, and passed away at the Golden Living Center in Bloomfield, Missouri on March 20, 2012, at the age of 96 years, 5 months and 17 days.
He had grown up in Pana, Illinois and moved to the Aid Community in 1959. He had worked raising chickens for the Swift Chicken Co. in Dexter before his retirement. He was of the protestant faith.
On October 17, 1957, he was married to Rosa May Shelton.
Surviving are his wife, Rosa M. Allen of Bloomfield; four sons, Kenny Allen of Portland, Oregon, Donnie Allen of Pana, Illinois, Thomas W. Morrison of Zalma, James E. Morrison of Arnold; six grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; one brother, Lee Allen of Salem, Illinois; and one sister, Norma Akins of Pana, Illinois. Other family and friends also survive.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Charlie Allen; five sisters, Helen Bland, Alta Mae Jarrett, Viola Moneyhun, Velma Bland, Alberta Jenkins, and Charolette Haines.
Visitation will be held after 11 a.m., Thursday, March 22, at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, 2012, at Watkins and Sons Chapel in Dexter, with the Rev. Dale Holman of Advance officiating.
Interment will be in the Hagy Cemetery in Dexter, Missouri with Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Busby retired after 33 years as a Maintenance Technician for Arvin Automotive now known as Faurecia Emissions Technologies in Dexter, Missouri. He was a veteran of the United States Army, member of the Bible Tabernacle Church in Bloomfield, Missouri serving on the church board, loved to play guitar, go hunting, and fishing.
On November 30, 2004 he was united in marriage to Paula Helderman in Piggott, Arkansas. Mrs. Busby survives of the home in Bloomfield.
Besides his wife, survivors include two sons, Alan Busby of Bernie, Missouri and Joseph Busby of Cape Girardeau, Missouri; by two daughters, Carrie Anne Elles and husband Randy of Bernie, and Kimberly Busby of Benton; by one step-daughter, Kim Maddox of Jackson; one brother, Randy Busby of Oswego, Illinois; by three sisters, Patricia Steele and husband Al, Maydene Jaquith and husband Ellsworth, and Bonnie Bolin and husband Rev. Calvin all of St. Charles, Illinois; six grandchildren; Adam Elles, Ryan Ells, Sarah Elles, Devan Busby, Josh Busby, Meghan Busby; by two step grandchildren, Jordan Maddox and Jessica Maddox; also by many nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death two brothers, Rick and Terry Busby; and by one sister, Mary Alice Busby.
Friends may call from 5 until 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 20 at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m., Wednesday March 21,. in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter with Rev. Dudley Hamilton and Rev. Calvin Bolin officiating. Interment will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield with full military honors.
