OBITUARIES

Obituary for William Allen Holmes Sr.

William Allen, "Wild Bill," "Wild Willie," Billy and just plain Bill was the only child of the late Odessa Holmes Brown and Allen Mckinny. He was born in Columbus Ohio on January 15, 1932 and departed this life on October 18, 2007. He accepted Christ at an early age.

Bill spent his early years between Columbus, Ohio and Cokesbury, South Carolina. After High School he joined the United States Army 82nd Airborne. He was honorably discharged with a Merit Unit Citation, Korean Service Medal with Two Bronze Service Stars and the United Nations Service Medal. He was life member on the Veterans of Foreign Wars, William B. Snell Post #7186, Evanston, Illinois.

After serving his country, in 1951 he came to live in Evanston, Illinois. He worked at Clayton Marks, US Postal Service, Evanston Bus Company, the City of Evanston Streets and Sanitation, and Jewel Food Stores before becoming an independent Truck Driver Owner/Operator. After retirement one of Bill's joys was the time he spent as a crossing guard. He had many stories about the "kids" from his corner.

Bill learned to ride motorcycles at age 14 and riding became his passion for life. He was a "Harley" man who could not only ride a bike, but was legendary stunt rider as well as a competitor on the field who won hundreds of trophies. He once rebuilt his 1973 Super-Glide bike by hand; the bike is still in running condition. He was a charter Life member of the American Motorcyclist Association. He took his last ride by attending the annual national Black Riders Roundup in Missouri and Kansas, from August 1st thru August 5th, 2007.

On September 14, 1963 he was joined in marriage to Delores Ann Petway, and from this union they shared Kimberly Ann and James Stephen. Bill and Delores were the perfect example of how opposites attract. They enjoyed forty-four years together.

The "Garage" was always opened and Bill enjoyed holding court with everyone who stopped by. Bill was known for helping everyone. His air pump was known to all the kids when their bikes had a flat; he could usually tell you what was wrong with your vehicle by listening to the sound-if it had wheels he could fix it. He had any type of tool available for borrowing, you could wash your car if you swept the ally, he enjoyed shooting the breeze, he provided advice asked for or not, and sharing of history through story telling was the usual. The "Garage" is now closed and court is no longer held.

Bill leaves to cherish his memory: his loving wife Delores Ann Holmes; six children, Patricia(Craig) Kelley Philadelphia, Penn; William Allen (Mildred) Holmes Joliet, Illinois; Darlene Jones, Evanston, Illinois; Fredrica Holmes Bensenville, Illinois; William Lamont Humphreys Skokie, Illinois; Kimberly (Vance) Ross, Evanston, Illinois; James Stephen (Tanashua) Holmes Chicago, Illinois; nine grandchildren, SSGT; Antonio(Adrienne) Holmes, Kia Nicole Holmes, Brittany Ann Estell, Vance James Ross, William Allen Holmes the third, Myles Hamilton Holmes, Ki-Jana William Humphreys, Nikko Kelly Ross, Saveion Jamire Shadd, SyAnn Janae Holmes; three great grandchildren, AkelishanaEman Holmes, Aaliyah Lashawn Holmes, Aashon Marquise Holmes, one aunt Ruby Holmes, one uncle James (Geneva) Holmes, special cousins, Bobby and Ann Holmes, Sandra Taylor, Emma Julia Lowe, Yvonne and Charles McFall, Diane and AG Hibbler, Myra Toilyn Stephenson; adopted brother Al Handley; adopted sons, Verzell James and Harold Daniels and a host of others.