Rufus Quentin Holder

Mr. Rufus Quentin Holder, 89, loving husband of Mrs. Minnie Dockery Holder, of Elkin passed away on Friday May 16, 2008 at Hugh Chatham Nursing Center after an extended illness. He was born in Surry County on February 26, 1919 to the late William Verlin and Bessie Tucker Holder. Mr. Holder was a retired owner and operator of Holder Plumbing. He was a veteran of the United States Army having served our country during WWII where he fought in the Battle of the Buldge in France with the 563rd Coast Artillery Battalion. A highly decorated Sergeant, he was wounded in action and received a Purple Heart among many other awards. After Hitler's defeat, he was assigned the position of Military Police and had the honor of escorting Theodore Roosevelt, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Winston Churchill and Field Marshall Montgomery to the Potts Dam Conference. A loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Mr. Holder leaves behind to cherish his memory his loving wife of seventy years Minnie Dockery Holder of the home; a daughter, Diana Anthony of Elkin; a son Eric Dale Holder of the home; two grandchildren Roger Brian Anthony and wife Brenda of Elkin and Kirby Dale Anthony and wife Julie of Dobson; Papa's special great-granddaughter and "buddy" Katlin Anthony; a step-great grandson Tanner Wood; three sisters and a brother-in-law Emily Holder Southard, Wilda Holder Gentry and Bonnie H. and Howard Burchette all of Elkin; a brother and sister-in-law Reeves Aaron and Mary Holder of Elkin. In addition to his parents, Mr. Holder was preceded in death by a daughter, Janet Holder Payne; two sisters, Phosie Holder Cockerham and Betty Holder Guyer and three brothers, Fred, Roger and Raymond Holder. Funeral services will be held at 2PM Sunday at Bessie's Chapel Baptist Church with Brother Don Ball officiating. Burial will follow in the Church cemetery with Military Honors by Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Honor Guard Mount Airy Post 2019 and Pilot Mountain Post 9436. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 pm on Saturday May 17, 2008 at Moody-Davis Funeral Home where his body will remain until taken to the church to lie-in-state thirty minutes prior to the funeral service.
Online condolences may be made at www.moodyfuneralservices.com