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Owen Hall Holmes III, affectionately known as "Skeets," passed away on July 12, 2014, at age 69. A longtime resident of Jacksonville, Florida, he died in a car accident in Green Cove Springs. His beloved wife of 46 years, Barbara Holmes, survived the accident.
Born in Jacksonville on January 5, 1945, to Florence and Owen Holmes II, he grew up in the Arlington area and graduated from Terry Parker High School in 1962. While attending Stetson University in Deland, he met Barbara; they married in 1967 and would have three children. Following service as a captain in the U.S. Air Force, he moved his family to the Southside, working at and later taking over his father's business, Holmes Stamp Company. The business thrived under his leadership, and he retired in 1998.
Throughout his life, Owen loved to fish, fix things around the house, travel, and gamble. Friends and family cherished the familiar sight of him working on a project in his garage. He'll be remembered for his quirky humor, endearing grouchiness, strong work ethic, devotion to his parents and siblings, and enthusiasm for his children's careers.
He is survived by wife Barbara and their children Dr. Kim Dal Porto of Jacksonville, Jennifer Docabo of Atlanta, and Owen J. Holmes of New York City, as well as grandchildren Kyle Sanchez, Alyssa Sanchez, and Hannah Docabo; mother Florence Holmes; brother Kennon Holmes; and sisters Helen Allen and Holly Clark.
A memorial service will be held on August 2 at 11:00 a.m. at Arlington Park Cemetery and Funeral Home, 6920 Lone Star Road, Jacksonville. In lieu of flowers, gifts in Owen's memory can be made to Mayo Clinic ( mayoclinic.org/development).
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Matt Frank Burnette
I will never forget the day that Owen called me and ask if I had time to take a ride. Of course, I will make time, was the answer, not knowing what he had in mind. When he pulled up to my office in the car of his (and my) dreams, we were both as excited as teenagers again. Though we had both owned some very nice cars in our lives to that date, we had neither forgotten how much we envied the few red 1962 Corvettes being sported around town in 1962. There was one in 1962 owned by a young attorney living in a party mode apartment building across from the Town & Country Shopping Center and we both enjoyed the times we would admire it and wish it was ours. Now we were both having a blast touring the city in the epitimy of 1962 for us both. Route 66 in our dreams. There was so much more of my friend than this, but no memory of him will ever top that few moments of excitement. Rest in peace Owen.
This is his pic of the actual car.
David A. Weippert
Owen and I first met when we were members of the Arlington Baptist Church 10 year old little league team. We beat the vaunted Methodist team for the championship. We both peaked athletically at age 10.
throughout high school we stayed friends and enjoyed Mrs. White in DCT. He gave me lots of rides in his Ford coupe. In college we roomed together for 2 years at Stetson and helped each other make our 6 days per week calculus classes,or helped each other rationalize why it would be ok to cut.his collection of rock and roll 45's made study time tolerable.
Our paths diverged thanks in part to Freshman Spanish, but I will never forget him and regret deeply this tragedy.