Cecil Lyle Holmes
Cecil Lyle Holmes was born to James Otto Holmes and Eva Mae Walt Holmes on Sept. 30, 1925, in Gove County, Kan., the third of four children.
In June 1935, the family moved to the Deer Park area of Boundary County. He attended Copeland School, graduating from Bonners Ferry High School in 1943. He was drafted into the United States Army in November 1943. He trained at Camp Roberts and served as a medic with the 33rd Infantry Division in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II, returning to the United States in February 1946.
On Feb. 14, 1947, he married Barbara Ann Starkey. They lived on the Bonners Ferry Northside while he worked as a small engine and chainsaw repairman for Winston Cook Raymond Houck at Cook’s Battery Electric and Barbara worked at Edmundson’s Variety Store. After two years, they moved to the Pine Creek/Yaak River area near Troy, Mont. Cecelia Ann was born on Nov. 5, 1949. Soon afterward, due to the Korean Conflict, Cecil was recalled to the Army as a sergeant in the Fort Ord Hospital Emergency Receiving Office and they moved to Fort Ord, Calif., where Donald Lyle was born on Dec. 13, 1950.
In August 1951, they moved back to Montana. Cecil worked for Orval Nichols on the construction of the new (current) Highway 2 between Moyie Springs, Idaho, and Troy, Mont. He also worked in his brother Ed’s sawmill, making posts firewood, and cutting Christmas trees.
In 1955, he went back to work for Cook’s Battery Electric and moved to the Paradise Valley area near Bonners Ferry. In 1973, Cecil partnered with Bob Frank Spalding to buy Cook’s Battery Electric changing the name to SS&H, Inc. They divided the business into two businesses, South Hill Saw Service and SS&H, Inc., eventually moving both out of downtown Bonners Ferry to the South Hill.
Barbara suddenly passed away from a heart attack on Feb. 20, 1986. On Sept. 6, 1986, he married Gladys Wycoff Brewer. He continued working with Frank Spalding in South Hill Saw Service and Gladys joined Ione Spalding Anna May Spalding working in SS&H with Bob Spalding.
Cecil Gladys became snowbirds, traveling to Yuma in motor homes, then a fifth wheel, and eventually buying a winter home there. They moved to Spokane, Wash., to be closer to heart specialists for Gladys’s health and to live closer to Cecil’s children and their families. In early 2011, they sold their Spokane home and moved into Orchard Crest Retirement Community. On Jan. 17, 2012. Gladys passed away due to heart failure. Cecil continued to live in Orchard Crest until his death on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021.
Cecil enjoyed dancing (that’s how he met Barbara), playing cards and outdoor games, visiting with family friends, and working on his land in Paradise Valley (especially the back five acres where he sawed wood cleaned the underbrush).
He was preceded in death by his parents; granddaughter Sheilla Holmes; his wives; and his siblings, Ed Dorothy Holmes, Larena John Daniel and Ramona Gale Plato; and numerous nieces nephews.
He is survived by daughter Cecelia (Mike); son Don; grandchildren Rob Stephens (Kelly), Michelle Fox (Andy), Derek Holmes (Jessica), Lance Holmes and Clayton Holmes; and great-grandchildren Christine Natalie Stephens, Cooper, Madison, Zander, Sofia Fox; Aiden, Ethan, Jocelyn Holmes; Sage, Andrew and Hazel Holmes.
Cecil will be laid to rest at Grandview Cemetery. The family plans a private service at a later date. His family truly appreciates all his friends and relatives who loved him so dearly.
