Leonard Holden

Leonard Jack Holden, age 80, went home to be with our Lord on Monday, January 23, 2012, with family present at his side. He came to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior on May 4, 1975. His death resulted from complications due to Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). Jack, known by his family as Pappy and Pappoo, was born in Wynona, Oklahoma, on July 21, 1931, to Wiley James and Beulah Holden. He married the love of his life, Sadie Briscoe, on February 18, 1948. Jack enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp in 1952 and served until January 1954. In 1954, he returned to work for Flournoy Drilling Company, where he worked for 11 years. Over the course of the next several years, Jack worked for Mobil Oil Company and Champlin Petroleum Company. In 1969-1970, as the Senior Drilling Supervisor for Champlin, he supervised the drilling of the deepest well ever drilled at that time (22,000 feet). Beginning in 1972, Jack became self-employed as a drilling consultant across Texas, as well as numerous states across the Southwest. In the mid-1970's, he became Vice-President of Operations at Cinco Drilling Company. Upon leaving Cinco Drilling Company, he and several business partners began a business known as Alice Rig Fabricators and Riggers. It was also at this time that he created J & S Trucking, Trans-Tex Trucking, and opened Alice Truck Parts & Service. In December 2005, he retired to continue his love of ranching, which began in 1981. With all of his accomplishments, he would say that what mattered most in life was his precious family. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Wiley James and Beulah Holden, two brothers, and two sisters. He is survived by his wife of almost 64 years, Sadie Holden of Corpus Christi; daughters Marilyn Legan of New Braunfels and Deborah (Robert) Warren of Orange Grove; grandchildren Christie Warren of Orange Grove, Stephen Legan of San Marcos, Michelle (David) Caro of Orange Grove, and Sarah Marie Legan of New Braunfels; great-grandchild Emily Caro of Orange Grove; sister Joann Thomas of Corpus Christi, brothers Alfred (Ann) Holden of Dewey, Oklahoma, and George Holden of Bartlesville, Oklahoma; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Visitation will be from 1 P.M. until 8 P.M. with the family present from 6 P.M. until 8 P.M. Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at Sawyer-George Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted at 10 A.M. Thursday, January 26, 2012 at River Hills Baptist Church with Rev. Larry Thomas officiating. Burial will be private. Pallbearers will be Larry Thomas, Loss Thomas, Gary Thomas, Kent Thomas, Kevin Dielmann and David Caro. A special thanks from the family goes to his friend and ranch helper Oscar Garcia of Orange Grove, the staff at Garden Estates and Wooldridge Place, as well as the doctors and staff at Bay Area Hospital.