Obituary for Yvonne Holmes

Yvonne Holmes

(August 24, 1933 – December 19, 2016)

Laura Yvonne Holmes, beloved wife, mother, and parishioner at Grace Episcopal Church in Ponca City, passed away Monday, December 19, 2016. She was 83.

Friends may pay their respects at Trout Funeral Home from 8AM-8PM Thursday, 12/22 and Friday 12/23. A memorial service will be held at 10:00am Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at Grace Episcopal Church with Father Dee Wellington Bright officiating. Following the ceremony, she will be inurned in the Grace Episcopal Church Columbarium. Services are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory.

Yvonne lived a full and happy life. She was born on August 24, 1933 (her mother’s 27th birthday), to D. L. Jones and Gladys Dial Jones in Wichita Falls, TX. She grew up in Eldorado, OK before attending Oklahoma City University, Lindenwood College for Women in St. Charles, Missouri, and finishing her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Oklahoma, majoring in Journalism. After college, Yvonne moved to Lawton with her beloved lifetime friend and Alpha Phi sister Alice Ann Silverthorn Hand, and began working at Fort Sill processing troop movements for the Korean War. While in Lawton, she met the love of her life Kenneth Holmes. They were married on June 28, 1956 (Ken and Yvonne missed their 59th wedding anniversary by a little over a month).

The couple made their first home in Lawton, where she worked as a journalist for the Lawton Constitution, before moving to Norman, where she worked for the Norman Transcript. Ponca City became the Holmes’ residence after Kenneth began his law practice there. During those early years Yvonne worked as Ken’s secretary. Their life changed in 1964 when their daughter Laura arrived, followed soon after by their son Stephen. Yvonne was pivotal in helping Ken build his practice, as she made contacts through volunteering and local women’s groups. Yvonne was a dedicated and loving wife and mother, always placing the care of her family ahead of her own wants and needs. She was truly selfless.

Traveling the world was Yvonne’s great passion, having taken thirty-seven trips to Europe, many with Kenneth and the children. She believed one could best appreciate the blessing of this country by experiencing what the rest of the world had to offer. She was right. The trips truly changed her children’s perspectives, igniting a passion in world history, new cultures, and travel that Laura and Stephen continue to this day, and consequently has been passed on to her adult grandchildren.

As Yvonne got older, she loved visiting her son Steve’s home on Oahu, and feasting on her daughter-in-law Julia’s delicious meals and desserts. These trips to Hawaii could extend over three weeks at a time, where she enjoyed the special pampering, warm sun, and beautiful beaches. Yvonne would comment on how much she would relax watching the grand-dogs, and reading her latest novel on British history.

Yvonne took great interest in her nine grandchildren. She would happily tell anyone who listened about the latest adventures or achievements from the oldest to the youngest. Since losing her Kenny, Yvonne’s greatest joy was helping her daughter Laura manage the large Hines’ household, while making sure her grandchildren completed their homework or encouraging their dreams. Much of Yvonne’s last year was spent joyfully planning and overseeing the construction and decoration of a beautiful addition lovingly dubbed the ‘Queen’s Wing’, to her daughter’s home, where she had planned to live out her final years.

Yvonne was a deeply religious person. Of the many memories she created during her travels, the most profound were from a trip to the Holy Land with her church group. The trip deepened her faith, and memories of it were always close at hand. When not traveling or doting on her family, much of her life revolved around Grace Episcopal Church. She cherished the years she spent operating the church gift shop with her dear friend Virginia Stephenson, the time spent at bible study, the Daughters of the King, and helping her church in anyway she could with the women of Grace Church.

Survivors include her children: Laura Hines and husband Dwayne of Ponca City, Stephen Holmes and wife Julia Nakano-Holmes of Honolulu, HI; brother Milford Jones and wife Naomi of Oklahoma City, cherished grandchildren: Keith Hines of New York, NY; Kyle Hines and wife Jennifer Tsay of Union City, NJ; Kenneth Hines of Norman, OK; Kathryn Hines, Kimberly Hines, Krystine Hines, Karter Hines, Kayla Hines, and Kassady Hines all of Ponca City; niece Connie Davidson and husband Joe of Oklahoma City, nephew Wade Jones and wife Felicia of Parsons, KS, great nieces Tabitha Powers and Esther Davis, as well as her surviving Alpha Phi sisters, and too many dear friends to mention. Yvonne loved each and every one of them.

Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Episcopal Church, 109 N. 13th St, Ponca City, OK 74601 or to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (note “Ohanian toxic metal research” with payment), c/o Mary E. Silverstein, Department Administrator, Department of Leukemia (Unit 428), 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030

Source: Trout Funeral Home