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DONALD R. HOLBROOK

HOLBROOK Donald "Poncho" R. Holbrook Sr., age 79, born November 6, 1929, passed away February 7, 2009. The oldest of 5 children, born and raised in the South End of Columbus to the late Emmett and Lula Holbrook.

Served his country at the young age of 14 as an Army Paratrooper for the 508 Red Devils. He received the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.

Once home, he joined the sheet metal trade and was a member with Local 98. He helped in the construction of several Columbus downtown structures. Member and Past President of Golden Eagles Archery Club. Spent many vacations in Michigan where he hunted and fished, a place that he loved so much that he eventually made it his home. As his eyesight began to fail, Dad loved to feed the deer and turkeys and watch the hummingbirds in his yard. His "human" friends were at Pappy's Bait Store where he swapped hunting stories.  Antiquing for glass and pottery also became his passion.
Columbus became his winter home after his first stroke in '05 where he stayed with his children. It was during his last winter here that he suffered his 2nd stroke and never to fully recover, he passed away on Saturday. Preceded in death by his parents and brother Ronald. Left to cherish his memory are his children, Doug (Debra), Donald, Jr. (Brenda), and Tonda (Dave) Morris; grandchildren, Tiffany, Ryan, Mara, Hannah, Corey, Donald III, and Eric; 10 great-grandchildren; sisters, Jean (Bob) Carter, Evelyn (John) Wilson; and baby bro', Everett (Sharon) Holbrook; many friends at Pappy's Bait Store and neighbors in Wellston, Michigan; and dear lifelong friend, Ronald Huffman.

Friends may call Tuesday, February 10, 2009 5-8 p.m. at the O.R. WOODYARD CO. CHAPEL, 1346 S. High St., where service will be Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. Pastor Jim Blankenship officiating. Interment Sunset Cemetery.
(The Columbus Dispatch, Columbus, OH, 10 Feb 2009, Page 6B - courtesy of Tedd Cocker)

 

(courtesy of Jim Fraley)

Grave markers for Donald R. Holbrook in the Sunset Cemetery, Galloway (Franklin county), Ohio.

When Donald enlisted he was  sixteen he and may have fibbed about his birth year when by stating it to be 1928 thereby making himself 17.  His obituary, however, purports that he was only 14 at the time.

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