G. Holmes

Chief G.B. Holmes, Sr. (Gerald Boyd) passed away on September 5, 2011 after a long and courageous battle with cardiovascular disease, at the age of 80. G.B. was raised in the East Lake-Woodlawn area and attended Woodlawn High School where he was an outstanding football player, making the first string All City Team of 1948. Turning down a football scholarship, he joined the Air Force in 1948 and was trained as a Crash/Rescue Fireman, a path he followed for the rest of his working life. He joined Hayes Aircraft International upon his discharge from the Air Force in 1951, and served as the Fire Chief and Security Chief, working with the Department of Defense for 40 years, retiring from Hayes-Pemco in 1990 at the doctor's insistence. GB was preceded in death by his father William Holmes, his mother Grace Holmes Rutledge, his grandparents who raised him, Effie and Thomas Carroll, brother in law, Col.(ret) Harold "Bud" Page and his beloved father in law and best friend, Harold "Pat" Page, and mother in law, Rachel Page. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 60 years, Vicki "Violet" Page Holmes, his devoted son Steven Scott Holmes (Sherry) of Cleveland, AL, and son Gerald Holmes Jr. His precious grandchildren, who lit up his life, Steven Jarod Holmes, Justin Scott (Amy) Holmes and Lindsay Nicole Holmes, and beautiful great granddaughter baby Mary Caroline Holmes all of Cleveland, AL. Also grandchildren Jason and Laura Holmes, his brother Robert Arlen Holmes (Phyllis) of Birmingham and his brother in law and friend, Col.(ret) Joe C. Page (Anita) of Birmingham. Nieces Lisa Page Stockdell (Ken) of Smyrna, GA, and Dr. Cynthia Barnes (Dr. Jeff) and nephews Dr. Robert Arlen Holmes II (Jennifer), favorite cousin Timothy (Debra) Carroll and Donna Stripling of Douglasville, GA. and aunt Mary Brooks Carroll of Tampa, FL. and Mike, Mark, Pat and Chris Page. GB spent many years as a baseball coach at Bonds Field in Center Point, coaching teams from the Peanut league through the Dixie Boys and had many winning teams and All-Stars. He was a Christian, being a charter member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Center Point. He and Vicki joined the church when it was a mission and good friend and former Woodlawn Football player, Dr. Dan Merck was serving as interim pastor there. Later he became a faithful member of Locust Fork Baptist Church, where he loved his pastor and church family dearly. The family would like to give special thanks to CVA Dr. Jimmy Jones III, who has worked so diligently through the past thirty years to keep GB going, through all the treatments and surgeries he had, also to the Birmingham VA Hospital for their help and assistance. Pall bearers will be: Justin Scott Holmes, Steven Jarod Holmes, James Thomas, Earl Payne, Pepper Grubbs and Timothy Carroll. Honorary Pallbearers will be all the retired firemen and guards from Hayes Aircraft/ Pemco Aeroplex. Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, Sept 8 at Noon in the Chapel with burial in Jefferson Memorial Gardens East. Visitation will be from 5pm until 730pm Wednesday. Brother Rufus Harris will be officiating. In lieu of flowers if you wish, memorials may be made to Locust Fork Baptist Church Building Fund PO Box 97 Locust Fork AL 35049 or John Croyle's Big Oak Ranch Springville AL. Jefferson Memorial Trussville directing.