Wesley L. Holley, age 82, died Saturday, April 4, 2015. His family will receive friends Wednesday, April 8, from 10 a.m. to noon at Spry-Williams Funeral Home, Florence, with the funeral following. Reverend Tommy James and Revered Andy Wallace will officiate.
In 1933, Wesley started life in Oklahoma as a three pound three ounce baby born in the winter. His grandmother created an incubator by heating rocks gathered from the yard.
In 1952, Wesley enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served aboard the U.S.S. Stoddard out of Providence, Rhode Island for two years with an additional six years as a reservist.
Wesley earned a B.S. Physics and Math from Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma, and an M.S. Physics from Oklahoma State University with membership in Sigma Pi Sigma Physics Honor Society. He was a diplomat of the American Academy of Health Physics and certified a health physicist by the American Board of Health Physics. Additional education included (M.S. equivalent) Nuclear Engineering Oak Ridge School of Reactor Technology, Physics University of Tennessee and Computer Science University of New Mexico.
Wesley’s career started with Oak Ridge National Laboratory then Sandia National Laboratories and TVA before retiring from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Arlington, Texas.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Revered Arthur and Esther Holley, and brother, Marvin Holley.
He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Lois R. Holley, of Florence; children, Karen Holley, Art Holley (Kristi), Rhonda Holley, and Rachel Siddall (David, Atty.); grandchildren, Dr. Tyler Holley (Krista), Darren Holley, Andrew Holley, Abbi Holley, Josh Siddall (Lauren), and Jessica Love (Nathan); great-grandchildren, Jayden and Jackson Siddall; sister-in-law, Jean Holley; and a large extended family. He was a proud loving father and Pop Pop who will be greatly missed.
Pallbearers are Dr. Tyler Holley, Darren Holley, Andrew Holley, Atty David Siddall, Dwight Holley, and Wes Pate.
Wesley attended Hendrix Road Baptist Church. He had a passion for studying the Bible with a heart for missionaries. He taught Bible classes for Prison Fellowship (Texas), assisted Colbert County Detention Center Bible studies, and was a member of Gideons International. He traveled the world and loved planning family summer vacations to national parks. He was a shade tree mechanic who could fix most anything.
The family would like to thank Dr. Robert Mann. Dr. Hemant Patel, the compassionate nurses and Stephanie Lambert from Gentiva Hospice, and supportive neighbors and friends, with a special thank you from his children to our mother for her tireless loving care of our father.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gideons International at gideons.org or Voice of the Martyrs at persecution. com, P.O. Box 443, Bartlesville, OK 74005.
