W. Byron Holman
W. Byron Holman, 84, of California, Pa., died Wednesday, July 23, 2003, in Monongahela Valley Hospital. He was born Feb. 1, 1919, in Friendsville, Md.
Mr. Holman was retired from school administration having served as assistant superintendent of schools and teacher for California Area School District, and as a principal in the Ringgold area school. He was a graduate of California University of Pennsylvania and Miami University. He did further graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh.
He long served as the secretary of the Masonic Lodge in California, having also served as the Master of the Lodge, and was a member of the Syria Shrine. He was a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International and served for decades as the Secretary-Treasurer of the California Rotary. Over time, he was involved in many other service and civic activities, including many at the “Center in the Woods”. He was an Elder and member of the First Presbyterian Church of California.
Mr. Holman was a retired officer from the United States Air Force. He served in World War II, and participated in the invasion of Normandy.
R. M. Holman and Gertrude W. Holman, his parents, preceded him in death, as did his sister, Elizabeth French and brothers, Oren and Merwin.
Merrell, his wife, and son, Kirk and daughter-in-law, Terri survive him. He is also survived by a brother, Harry Eugene Holman and grandsons, Charles and James Holman.
Friends will be received in the MARISCOTTI FUNERAL HOME INC., Anthony N. Mariscotti, Supervisor, 323 Fourth St., California, Pa., today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Services will be held at 11 a.m., on Saturday, July 26, 2003, in the First Presbyterian Church of California, with the Rev. Norman Hunt officiating. Interment will follow in LaFayette Memorial Park. The American Legion JFK Post 377 will conduct services on Friday evening at 7 p.m., followed by the Monongahela Valley Lodge No. 461 F&AM services at 7:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to the Capital Improvement Campaign of the First Presbyterian Church of California, the Center in the Woods, or the California Area Historical Society.