Obituary: Charlie M. Holder, Sr.

Charles ‘Charlie’ M. Holder, Sr, a native Newporter, was born on September 2, 1944 and passed peacefully at his home on August 6, 2023 with his family by his side.

Growing up in the Park Holm neighborhood of Newport, Charlie established life-long friendships with his closest pals Drew Anderson, Harry Smyth and Bob Moniz. He was an active member of the Newport Boys Club where he began to hone his skills as an exceptional multi-sport athlete, especially in basketball and golf. Charlie was an instrumental part of the Rogers High School 1963 state championship team, that later lost in the finals of the New England high school basketball championships at the Boston Garden. Charlie also captained the golf team to the Eastern Division championship. He was voted RI All-State in both sports.

After graduating high school, Charlie joined the US Army as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, where he proudly served from 1965 to 1967. Upon completing his service to the country, Charlie returned home to Newport where he married his high school sweetheart Elaine Parkos on December 3rd, 1967. Together they raised their three children; current Newport City Councilor Charles M. Holder Jr, Rachel and her husband Jim George of Middletown and his daughter Maria L. Holder of Portsmouth, RI. It is no secret that Charlie was most proud of his beautiful grandchildren, the triplets; Charleigh, Kennedy & Fischer; James (Heidy), Christopher (Maria) and Taylor George. These six meant the absolute world to him.

Charlie believed in a strong work ethic and a will to finish any project he started. His employment included time at Raytheon, General Dynamics Electric Boat, Kaiser Aluminum and his most cherished career as Asst. Athletic Director at the Portsmouth Abbey School. It was at the Abbey where his love for sports and coaching young athletes all came together. He helped coach the boys basketball team to SENE championships in 1995 & 2000. He eventually became head coach until his retirement.

Retirement was not in Charlie’s vocabulary. He continued to work as a self-taught carpenter building anything from birdhouses and lending libraries to patio decks and doll houses. There was not a project he couldn’t handle. Charlie also worked for his son managing the parking lot duties for the Midtown Oyster Bar.

Charlie continued his passion for golf as a member of Wanumetonomy Golf Club in Middletown. Here he became a -1 handicap golfer and made 4 hole-in-ones. His most cherished moments on the course were teaching his grandson Fischer how to play the game.Other hobbies and past times he enjoyed the most were working on his lawn and gardens, following the New England Patriots, Boston Celtics and especially the UCONN Women’s Basketball team. Charlie loved raising his German Shepherds and his most recent companion Cooper, a foster dog from Save-A-Lab who will miss him dearly. He loved his country and was a proud member of the American Legion.

It is without hesitation that what came to be his most humbling and prideful work was as the Sexton at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church. Working with Father Aaron Walker, Charlie found comfort and gratitude while developing a deeper faith that helped bring him peace and strength during his illness.

Those who will miss him the most besides his immediate family and grandchildren are his sister Sheila (who in Charlie’s eyes the Sun rose and set ) and her husband Michael Russell of Dallas, TX., as they were able to be by his side until the very end. He also leaves behind two brothers, Michael G. Holder (Shirley) of Florida, Patrick F. Holder (Maggie) of Georgia, his sister-in-law Barbara Parkos of Newport as well as his treasured nieces, nephews and especially Godchildren.

The Holder family is forever grateful to the incredible medical team at Brigham & Women’s Mass General Hospital in Boston, In particular Dr Neal Lakdawala, Dr Usha Tedrow and the Cardiovascular team. They also would like to thank the Visiting Nurses Home Health Care and Hospice of RI.

Visiting hours will be Thursday, August 10, 2023 from 3:00-7:00pm in the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport.Funeral Mass will follow on Friday, Aug 11 at 11:00am in St. Spyridon’s Church, Thames Street, Newport. Burial with military honors will be at Island Cemetery, Newport.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of the following charities that were so dear to his heart, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital (www.stjude.org), St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church (www.stspyridonchurch.org) and Save A Lab (www.savealabrescue.org).