Mr. Thomas Greer Holman of Wilkesboro, formerly of Ashe County, died on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at Westwood Hills Nursing and Rehab Center. He was 88.

Mr. Holman was born on Sept. 17, 1926 in Todd to George Spurgeon and Mary McCorkel Greer Holman. He grew up in Todd and was long remembered for many of his boyhood pranks. He drove a school bus during his high school days after "altering" some records to meet the requirements at the time. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Army and served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II. He attained the rank of Sgt., earning a Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal and an Occupation Japan Medal. After the war, he worked as a coal miner and later as a funeral home attendant in W.V. During this time he met and married his first wife, Ruth. He returned to Ashe County and continued working in the funeral industry with the Boone family at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home. He later became an employee of General Motors, working as a parts inspector in Cleveland, Ohio before returning to the mountains of N.C. He began hauling lumber for his brother, Roger, and later purchased what became Holman Lumber Company. He served as a deacon at Laurel Knob Baptist Church and later at Midway Baptist Church. In his later years, he worked as a jailer for the Ashe County Sheriff's Department.

Mr. Holman was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Ruth Stanley Holman; brothers: Freeman, Roger, Coolidge, Jess and Joe Holman; sisters: Mable, Mossie, Ruth, Deane and Mary; sons: Thomas Stanley and infant sons, Gregory, Mark and David Lee Holman.

Mr. Holman is survived by his wife, Eliza Holman; four sons: Danny Holman and wife, Jennifer of Wilkesboro, Alan Holman and wife, Wilma of Fleetwood, Kevin Holman and wife, Lisa of West Jefferson and Christopher Holman of Wilkesboro; two daughters, Brenda Bledsoe and husband, Doug of West Jefferson and Jada Emerson of Jefferson; grandchildren: Tara Fayad, Valencia Deardorff, Nathaniel Holman, Holly Stone, Kyle Winebarger, Falon Calhoun, Tavin Holman, Jeren Holman, Zachary Emerson and Ben Emerson; great-grandchildren: Maya Fayad, Alicia Deardorff, Daryl Deardorff, Canaan Stone, Owen Stanley Holman and Kenna Ruth Stone; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, March 28, 2015 at Laurel Knob Baptist Church with the Rev. Jim Rash officiating. Private burial followed in Holman Family Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Holman Family Cemetery Fund or Laurel Knob Baptist Church, PO Box 1703, Jefferson, NC 28640.

Words of comfort and remembrance may be viewed or sent to the family at www.badgerfuneralhome.com.

Badger Funeral Home was entrusted with Mr. Holman's arrangements.