Gary Lee Holmes, son of Marion Lowell and Arneitha Rowene (Skalberg) Holmes, was born February 6, 1949 in Shenandoah, Iowa. He passed away on May 14, 2017 at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska.

Gary grew up on a farm Northwest of Essex. He attended Essex country school and Essex High School where he graduated with the class of 1967. He lettered in both football and baseball.

In 1968, Gary joined the U.S. Navy. He achieved the rank of Fire Control Technician Striker Third Class (FTG3). He served on the USS Coral Sea aircraft carrier during Vietnam. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in 1972. After returning home to Essex, Gary worked for Johnson Brothers in Essex, then Uniroyal in Red Oak and retiring from D&L / Romech in 2007.

Gary was a member of the Faith Covenant Church of Essex. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and tinkering with classic cars. He was an avid fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Bears and New York Yankees.

He was preceded in death by his parents Marion "Bus" and A. Rowene Holmes.

Gary is survived by his brother Roger Holmes of Byron, Georgia and several distant relatives and friends.

Celebration of life funeral service will be held 10:30 am, Saturday, May 20, 2017 at the Faith Covenant Church in Essex, Iowa.

Open visitation will be held from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm, Friday, May 19, 2017 at the Hackett-Livingston Funeral Home. The family will not be present.

Memorials may be directed to the Faith Covenant Church in Essex, Iowa.

Burial will be held at the Essex Cemetery in Essex, Iowa with military rites provided by the Clarinda Color Guard Post 98.