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Obituary for HOLDER


Published in the Albuquerque Journal on Wednesday April 04, 2007

Andrew Joe (A.J.) Holder, 96, was peacefully called home to be with his heavenly father at his home in Newman Lake, WA on March 30, 2007. He was born in Hamlin, TX in May 1910. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lang and Francis Holder and his wife of 62 years, Onita Hacker Holder who was his childhood sweetheart. They lived in Lubbock, TX where he worked as a display artist for the theaters there and later in Albuquerque, NM where they moved in 1930. He worked for Douglas aircraft in Santa Monica, CA for four years during the early 1940s before moving back to Albuquerque. He then worked at Kirkland AFB as an illustrator until his retirement in 1975. He moved to Washington State in 1993. He is survived by his two daughters, Sherron Holder Upchurch and husband, Ken, Patricia Holder Gardner and husband, Jerry; two grandchildren, Darby Gardner McLean and husband, Aaron and Cara Gardner Kozbinski and husband, Greg; and two great-grandchildren. A Graveside Service and burial will be at Fairview Cemetery in Albuquerque on Thursday, April 5, 2007 at 1 p.m. Cheney Funeral Chapel, Cheney WA, in charge of arrangements.