Willard Holmes passed away peacefully in his home January 30, 2019 after a long struggle with ALS. Willard was born in Crenshaw County, AL, February 1, 1936 and made exceptional use of every minute of his long life. He graduated from Auburn University (BS), Oklahoma State University (MS), and the Southeastern Institute of Tech (PhD). Willard worked 28 years for the former MICOM/RDEC’s System Simulation and Development Directorate (SSDD) until retiring in 1993 and then supporting RDEC as a contractor until 2003. While with SSDD, Willard was awarded a U.S. Congressional Fellowship in Washington D.C. (1978-1979) working for Wisconsin’s U.S. Senator Bill Proxmire and Wyoming’s U.S. Representative Dick Cheney staffs and appointed U.S. Representative on a NATO Research Study Group for the simulation and application of Artificial Intelligence to command and control of air defense systems (1989-1993). During the 1970’s he co-founded three organizations: Agora offered youth a drug-free venue to gather; Singles United provided divorced and single adults a place to find support; and Interfaith Missions Service coordinated the efforts of multiple faiths. Willard’s passions included reading, genealogy research, personal analytic discussions, art, traveling to foreign countries and the U.S., and visiting museums.
Willard is survived by his wife, Dianne “Dee” Burt Holmes, daughters Elizabeth Sumner and Barbara Neumayr, step children Stephanie Carr and Michael Burt, son-in-law Steven Carr and daughter in-law Jane Burt. His grandchildren include Liza Sumner, Caitlyn Neumayr, Bailey Carr, Garrett Carr, Davis Carr, Sophia Burt, Holden Fuhrer, and Leo Burt. The family would also like to recognize, with deep appreciation, the care given by Sherry Kolodziejczak (Dir.) and the many people at the ALS Clinic, as well as the staff of Southern Beacon Hospice.
