Winfred GǣSandyGǥ Lavern Holmes, 84, Anchorage, AK

Category: Obituaries Obituaries
Published: 25 January 2017 25 January 2017

Longtime Anchorage resident, Mr. Winfred GǣSandyGǥ Lavern Holmes, 84, died peacefully at home while surrounded by his daughter, son in-law and their sons after a nine year battle with prostate cancer on Monday, December 19, 2016 at his home in Anchorage.

Military honors will be performed and Sandy and his wife Beth will be laid to rest at the Fort Bayard National Cemetery at a future date to be announced.

Sandy was born March 7, 1932 to James Lesley & Stacy Georgia (Wiley) Holmes in Gladewater, TX. He graduated from Las Cruces High School in Las Cruces, NM. Sandy entered the U.S. Air Force in 1950 and performed his basic training at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, TX. He served as an Airman First Class during the Korean War until being honorably discharged in 1954.

Sandy had worked in numerous jobs to include the Mesilla Park Ice in Mesilla, Park, NM; 1959 as an electrical lineman GǣWoodwalkerGǥ for Silver City Power and Electric in Silver City, NM; 1962-1964, Millwright apprentice, Southwest Forest Industry Pulp Mill in Snowflake, AZ; 1964-1965, Millwright for Ponderosa Paper Company in Flagstaff, AZ; 1965-1967, Millwright for Georgia Pacific Corporation in Samoa, CA (residing in Arcata, CA); 1967-1970, Maintenance Supervisor for Publisher's Paper Company in Newberg, OR; 1970-1972, Maintenance Superintendent for Georgia Pacific Corporation in Samoa, CA and Humboldt, CA; 1972-1974, Maintenance Manager for Publishers Paper Company, Sawmill Division in Molalla, OR; 1974-1976, Project Manager for West Coast Orient Lumber Mills in Tacoma, WA (residing in Spanaway); 1976-1977, Project Manager for San Juan Lumber Co. in Pagosa Springs, CO; 1977-1979, Project Consultant for the Honduran Government in Yoro, Honduras; 1979 - 1981, Project Consultant for the Peruvian Government in Pucallpa, Peru; 1981-1987, Assistant Project Manager for Harrison International in Bay Pines, FL, Vernon, TX, Clovis, NM, Texarkana, TX, Lexington, SC and Tuscaloosa, AL; 1987-1989, Construction Manager for Columbia Engineering Corp. in El Paso, TX (Served as project engineer for construction of a power station of the remote GǣPrince WalesGǥ Island in South West, Alaska; 1989-1996, Project Superintendent for Cimetta Engineering and Construction Co. of Tucson, AZ.

Sandy was a member of the St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Anchorage, AK. He enjoyed woodworking, hunting, fishing and camping.

The family wrote, GǣSandy was a man of faith and extremely proud and devoted to his family. He enjoyed the great outdoors and the adventures of travel. He will be missed.Gǥ

Sandy was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Lyda Beth (Donohue) Holmes; and his brother, Wayne Conrad Holmes.

He is survived by his daughter and son-in law, Colleen (Holmes) & Jay Bickford; grandson, Riley and Ryan Bickford; son and daughter in-law, Bradley W. & Carolyn J. Holmes; granddaughter and grandson in-law, Jessica J. (Holmes) and Sam Cummings; and granddaughter, Camillia McRae.

The family would like to thank G

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.