Obituary of Russell Holmes

Biography Russell Glen Holmes passed away on December 9, 2012, in Denver with his loving family at his side. Russell was born on May 31, 1950, in Limon, Colorado, to Clayton and Alta (Wood) Holmes. He spent his youth on a farm eight miles north of Genoa and later moved to the town of Genoa after the family sold the farm following his father’s heart attack. While living on the farm, Russell was very active in the Walks Camp 4-H Club. He attended Genoa Public Schools and graduated in 1969, one of nine graduates. Russell played and lettered in both football and basketball. At the age of 16, he started driving a truck for F.T. (Junior) Link. In 1970, he enlisted in the Navy and served two years, returning to Genoa in 1972. While in the Navy, he was stationed in both San Diego, California, and Okinawa, Japan. After returning from the service, he worked for several local ranchers and farmers before returning to truck driving, his true love. While ranching, he met and married Sherrel Hauck and to that union a son, Kevin Russell Holmes was born on October 2, 1974. While driving a truck, he worked for several different companies. He hauled cattle and hay for Don Grokett, hauled beer for Coors Transportation, and hauled produce all over the country working with his brother in law, Ed Palmore. He then worked for R&K Truck Line hauling fuel, cattle, and grain. While driving for R&K, he met and married Lori Howe Bennett. Through this marriage, he became a father to two stepsons, Travis and Clint Bennett, who he raised as his own. After leaving R&K he went to work for Don Morrison with D.J. Petroleum where he spent the next thirteen years hauling fuel. During this time period, his son Kevin came to live with the family and stayed for three years before returning to his mother. He was very proud of all his sons’ achievements in school where they were very active in band, sports, and Boy Scouts. Russell always went to all their games whether home or away, and he was also a Scout Master for four years. In 1993, he was offered a job with Limon Farm Equipment as an equipment set-up man. He really enjoyed working on the farm equipment as this allowed him to be near the farming that was so close to his heart. After Limon Farm Equipment closed, he went to work for Andrews Sand and Gravel. About this time, Russell met the daughter and granddaughter whom he had never known. Kimberley Avaya, his daughter and Stephanie Zamora, his granddaughter, live in Denver and California respectively. After leaving Andrews, he began driving for True Value where he stayed for the next six years, until he was injured and unable to return. He then started flying across the country to pick up and deliver trucks for Transwest. His love for the farm then pulled him back to work in Lincoln County driving for local farmers Ron, Rob and Shawn Boyd, Troy and Lee Thompson, John Thompson and Terry and Don Grokett. Russell will be long remembered as Santa to hundreds of children in the Limon area as he brightened the Christmas season as the community Santa from 1999 to 2011. Russell is survived by his wife, Lori; his children Kimberley Rachel Avara (Larry), Travis Wade Bennett (Lori), Kevin Russell Holmes, Clint Wane Bennett; grandchildren Stephanie Nicole Zamora, Abbeygayle Christine Holmes, Maggie Ann Holmes and Shawndel Lynn Hollingsworth; mother, Alta Gwyn; one brother, Teddy Lee and four sisters, Beverly Jean, Mary Ann Gonzalez (Stephen), Lorraine Karen Rudder (Jim), Janet Gay Hobson and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Clayton Norman Holmes.