Robert V. Holden

Robert V. Holden, 83, of Vancleave, died Friday, April 7, 2006 in Vancleave. Mr. Holden was born November 19, 1922 and was a lifelong resident of Vancleave. He was a U. S. Navy Veteran of WWII. He was employed with Ingalls Shipbuilding as a Fab Shop Supervisor for 22 years. Mr. Holden was the founder of Robert Holden General Store in 1961 and Robert Holden Earth Moving and Construction Company, Inc. in 1971. He was a member of the Ezel Masonic Lodge # 427 in Vancleave. He was a member of Associated General Contractors and Mississippi Road Builders Association. Mr. Holden was of the Methodist faith and joined Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church in 1943. Mr. Holden was preceded in death by his parents, Riley Holden and Mary Parker Holden; a sister, Mary Alice Saucier; and three brothers, Donnis Holden, Wilton Holden and Burea Lee Holden. Mr. Holden is survived by his wife of 63 years, Winona Wilson Holden, of Vancleave; a son, Douglas Robert Holden, and his wife, Linda, of Moss Point; a daughter, Beverly Holden Evans, and her husband, Jerry, of Vancleave; three grandsons, Scott Holden, Trey Evans, and his wife, Melissa, all of Vancleave and Chad Evans, of Birmingham, AL; a great-granddaughter, Maison Ann Evans, of Vancleave; two sisters, Ann Cole, of Mesa, AZ and Penny Arcuri, of Napavine, WA; a brother, Billy Jack Holden, of Sumrall, MS; and a step-brother, Leo Holden, Jr., of Sumrall, MS; numerous nieces and nephews; and longtime family friends, Martha Brumfield, of Ocean Springs Rincey Waltman, Ola Mae Waltman and Ruby Tanner, all of Vancleave. Rev. J. A. Sharp will be officiating over the service. Visitation will be Saturday, April 8, 2006 from 6:00 to 8:00pm at the Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes. A service will be held Sunday, April 9 at 2:00pm where friends may visit one hour prior to the service in the funeral home chapel. Burial to follow in Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church Cemetery in Vancleave.