Richard Wayne Holden's Obituary
Richard Wayne Holden
Richard Wayne Holden, 79, passed away 22 June, 2019 at “The Cottage on Vine” in Murray, Utah due to a debilitating illness.
A loving husband, brother, uncle, father, and grandfather, Richard Wayne Holden was born 10 April 1940 to Harold Wayne Hougham and Marybelle Meyer of Kansas City, Kansas.
Richard was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He truly loved the gospel. Here he served in many callings including Deacons and Teachers quorum advisor, Assistant scoutmaster, Scoutmaster, Elders quorum presidency, Ward Mission leader, and Stake missionary, and in three Bishoprics. He also spent time serving in the Oakland, California Temple as an ordinance worker. He counseled and helped many people while serving. Richard loved to read church history and the scriptures. Some of his most treasured moments were marking his scriptures in yellow and red ink.
Richard spent his early years in Kansas City, Kansas, and later Sonoma and Sebastopol, California. His parents divorced and Marybelle then married Clarence Earl Holden. Clarence would raise Richard as his own son.
Richard served his country by enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. He served his duty and then wanted to spend time raising a family.
He married Joyce Alger and they had 4 beautiful children, a boy and three girls. He worked as a manager at Payless Drug stores. He loved supporting his children in sports. After 18 years they divorced and Richard moved to Reno, Nevada and later to Santa Rosa, California.
It was in Santa Rosa that he met Ellen Louise Harris Portlock and spent the next 39 years helping to raise her two younger sons and bringing two families together as one.
Richard became a welder and worked this trade most of his adult life. He worked for UTILICON of Graton, California fabricating cement truck mixers and conveyors. He also ended his career at STERO of Petaluma, California fabricating dishwashing machines. During this time he helped form a metal sculpture called Skygate with artist Roger Barr which stands at Pier 39 in San Francisco. This historically was the first commissioned art piece on the Embarcadero.
Richard loved to collect knives and many other unique collectables. He loved to rummage through garage sales and visit antique stores to fine the perfect treasure. He had a knack and an eye for it. Richard and Louise eventually owned their own business named Green Valley Knives and Collectables. They would attend frequent gun and knife shows to sell their wares.
Richard loved studying history, especially about the Civil War, World War II, and Vietnam. He loved the PBS documentaries, war movies, and old John Wayne films. Richard loved his heritage and loved his country.
While searching his family history in the early 2000’s, Richard found that he had 2 brothers and 2 sisters that he did not know about. He was able to meet them all and eventually move to Missouri to be closer to them. He was fond of his brother Paul. They spent several quality years’ together hunting, fishing, and getting to know each other better. You could tell that they were brothers who loved each other. Richards’s heart broke when he lost Paul to cancer.
Richard loved all of his 5 dogs. He was most fond of Buddy.
Richard loved his family. He loved to spend time in his woodshop working with his grandchildren making wooden cars and other treasures. Richard is survived by his wife Ellen Louise of 39 years. Sisters Pat Seyfert, Janet Light, Cherryl Holden. Niece, Chrystine (Scott) Lee. Son, James and (Kathy) Holden, Daughters, Ruth Ana Lakritz, Christine and (Dianna) Sundukos-Holden, and Shawn Holden. Step-children, John and (Karen) Portlock, Myra Lynn and (Mark) Reichmann, Robert S. and (AmyJo) Portlock, Thomas and (Cynthia) Portlock, and Kenneth and (Kristina) Portlock. 32 Grand-children and 40 Great grand-children.
He was preceded in death by his and brothers, Paul (Sonja) Hougham, Glen Hougham.
His memorial service will be held at 9:00 a.m., Thursday, July 18, 2019, located at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 6320 South 700 West ,Murray, Utah.
Internment will be at the Utah Veterans Cemetery & Memorial Park located at 17111 South 1700 West, Bluffdale, UT.
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