Charles Holmes

Charles Nicholson Holmes, of Mexia, entered his heavenly home on July 6, 2021, at the age of 92. Private funeral services will be held at Sardis Baptist Church on Friday, July 9, 2021, at 11:00 a.m., with Reverend Jerry Fulton officiating.  Interment will follow at Sardis Cemetery.  Pallbearers will be his grandsons and great-grandsons.

Charles was born on March 30, 1929, on Wilson Street, in Mexia, to Denzil Jackson and Vashti Ruth DeBerry Holmes.  His younger brother, Maxie Dean Holmes, was welcomed into their family five years later.   Charles grew up looking out for his little brother and helping his father operate Holmes Produce Company.

Charles was a 1946 graduate of Mexia High School, as well as, 4C Business College, in Waco.  He first saw the love of his life, Johnnie Ruth Lewis Holmes, in the study hall of MHS, and declared that he was “going to marry that girl.”  He was indeed true to his word and they were married on July 26, 1947, in Pasadena, Texas.  Afterwards, he and Johnnie Ruth drove back to Mexia and moved in their first home across the street from his parents.  For the next 63 years, they remained a stone’s throw away from Charles’ beloved parents.  They were also fortunate to live less than a block from his uncle and special advisor, Ray DeBerry.

After getting married, Charles served in the Texas National Guard.  A few years later, he became licensed to sell insurance and established his own agency.  Charles was an agent for over 30 years, mostly for Kentucky Central Life Insurance Company.   During his lengthy career, he earned numerous awards, including decades of consecutive National Quality Awards and Million Dollar Round Table qualifications.

Charles was a member and deacon of Calvary Baptist Church.  He helped build the current church building and served in many capacities over the years, including superintendent of Sunday School and Training Union, chairman of the deacons, pulpit committees, and Lord’s Supper steward.  He loved telling the story of how he and Cecil Asher tricked the pastor, Brother Lowell Skaggs, into believing that there was not enough grape juice for the Lord’s Supper cups.  They insisted that they found a solution, though – they simply filled the empty cups with Dr. Pepper!

Charles was an avid fisherman and always enjoyed having a big vegetable garden.  He raised cattle, chickens, and turkeys.  His favorite season was autumn and he enjoyed traveling with Johnnie Ruth, for many years, to “see the leaves” in Tennessee and North Carolina.  His children and grandchildren will miss his stories, math problems, and Bible trivia.

He joins his wife, mother, father, brother, and his grandson, Alex Fleming, in the Kingdom of Heaven.

He is survived by his four children and their spouses:   Linda Archibald and husband, Billy, of Mexia, TX, Dr. Charley Holmes and wife, Diane, of Jacksonville, TX, Molly Frost and husband, Marcus, of Mexia, TX, and Amy Holmes of Waco, TX.  He is also survived by his grandchildren and their spouses:   David Archibald, Amy Kay Shaw and husband, Cory, Rachel Chandler and husband, Randall, Rebecca Jones and husband, Tim, Clint Frost and wife, Kayla, Hayley Vest and husband, Jeff, April Spencer and husband, Philip, Sarah Fleming and Levi Fleming.  His surviving great-grandchildren include Peyton, Avery, and Audrey Archibald, Megan and Leah Shaw, Tanner, Ty, and Tate Chandler, Corbin and Easton Jones, Presley and Harrison Frost, Kolton Key, Grant and Ava Vest.

Special thanks goes to the nursing staffs at Groesbeck LTC Nursing and Rehabilitation, Skilled Care of Mexia, and Community Healthcare of Texas for the kindness and care given to our father.

Memorials may be made to the Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary, P.O. Box 670, Jacksonville, TX 75766.