Gary Lynn Holdridge Obituary
Gary Lynn Holdridge passed away on August 19, 2024 at the age of 76 in Denton, Texas. Gary was born in Gorman, Texas on January 21, 1948 to Arthur Carson Holdridge and Omalee Finley Holdridge. He was the oldest of three children, the proud older brother to his beloved sisters Cheryl and Sharon. He was raised in Cisco, Texas and graduated from Cisco High School. Gary met the love of his life and best friend, Judy Graham in Biology class. Ever resourceful, he was failing and asked the girl across the table to study with him to pass the class. That friendly acquaintance grew into a deeper relationship in the summer of 1965 when Gary asked Judy on a date to the movies at the famous Majestic Theatre in Eastland, Texas which still exists today. He attended Cisco Junior College majoring in data processing. He got a draft notice to enlist into the Army, so he decided to join the United States Air Force instead. After his military service, Gary and Judy married after she graduated from high school in June 1968. He harnessed his military skill set and worked as a helicopter mechanic for Bell Helicopter in Mineral Wells, Texas. The importance of excellence in your work was ingrained in him quite early, the rules of the helicopter repair meant that "you rode in what you worked on," the ultimate test of quality and standing by a job well done.
Gary and Judy moved to Abilene, Texas in 1969 where he went into insurance sales. They welcomed their first born son James Lee Holdridge on October 28, 1970. Due to the recession, he left the insurance business in 1971 and moved back to Odessa with their young family of three to work in the oil field and embark on a career in the energy industry. The couple had Gary Lynn Holdridge, Jr. February 15, 1974 while living in Odessa, Texas then moved immediately to Fort Stockton, Texas where he continued working for the Creole Productions Services International Company as an Operator Mechanic on a CO2 pipeline project. From 1974 through 1979 he held various technical and management positions with Creole Production Services where he served as plant supervisor and worked in Egypt as Operations Supervisor on offshore drilling platforms in the Red Sea leading special operation and maintenance projects. They welcomed their third son Allen Scott Holdridge to the family on December 29, 1976.
From 1979 through 1983, he worked for Compressor Systems Inc. as the Shop Maintenance Supervisor, the Pampa Branch Manager, and the Rental Fleet Superintendent. Gary had been with Ignition Systems and Controls (ISC) since its earliest days, serving as the Manager of ISC during the company's infancy from 1984 to 1991. From 1991 to 1999 he fulfilled the duties as the Operations Manager and General Sales Manager helping to continually grow the product line, territory, and revenues of the company. In June 1999, he assumed the role of the General Manager of the much-expanded company, and immediately led two successful acquisition projects that further expanded the territory of the company while increasing revenues and profits. Ignition Systems became the largest Altronic and Altronic Controls Distributor in the world. Gary was very well respected in the industry by colleagues, suppliers and customers. He remained active in the community and his church. He earned the deserved position and promotion to Vice President and General Manager of ISC in November 2001. Gary was known for his strong work ethic and his commitment to the company which quickly led to him becoming President of Ignition Systems & Controls, Inc. proudly retiring 30 years later on April 6, 2013.
His love of his family and gathering together was the light and compass that led him. He always understood the meaning in life that there was a season for everything, a time for work and a time for rest. Once he retired, the early alarm clocks immediately were banned from existence, and he began each day a little later on the clock but always with a grateful heart. He loved every moment with Judy and would often tell her "Come sit down and relax with me.". He gave her the priceless gift of time. He truly knew the importance of stopping to smell the roses. He often said once he retired that he didn't have a "hurry button" anymore. It was a true lesson in the essence of life. He loved to put his comfy clothes on and "lay up," just sitting next to Judy all the days of his life was his happy place.
Gary was steadfast in his decision making and solid in his faith and support. He was practical and funny. In the fast pace of his work life, he gained perspective of what was most important in his life, and he was able to cherish the time he had with family. His work ethic was second to none, but his love for his family and grandchildren far surpassed that. Of all his accomplishments in his lifetime, his most cherished title was Papa. Papa was so very proud of everyone in his family. He loved to capture the special moments of his children and grandchildren's milestones with photography and videos. Even though he despised traffic and driving at night, there was nothing that could separate him from getting to his children or grandchildren to support them and cheer them on in sports, music and school. He cataloged hours of movies of his boys and grandkids and just as many from the view of his lap when he was too excited watching the adventures and forgot to turn the camera off. He wasn't the best camera man, but he sure was the best fan.
As his sons grew, so did the many friendships along the way. There were always Sunday night nachos and family dinners that were open to anyone with a hungry stomach. Gary would invite anyone in his presence to come eat and to fix their plate. He knew he could lure in the many buddies with Judy's cooking and in turn he got more time with his boys. He always had a pen handy in his shirt pocket, ready to jot a note or add to the to do list. Chocolate brownies and chocolate chip cookies were always the favorite staples added to the shopping list. He was deeply involved in Boy Scouts for all three sons while growing up and loved his time with his sons and the grandchildren at the lake house and hunting at the ranch. He decided to try out the dirt bikes with the grandsons like he did in his younger days until he landed in a cactus patch. He laughed with joy, taking in every minute, thankful for the time together, cactus quills, scratches and all. To protect Nana's heart from worry, all the grandkids kept the honor code, "What happens at the ranch stays at the ranch.". Golf presented to be a less dangerous adventure and he loved the days on the golf course with his family. Although he had three sons, he welcomed all the daughter-in-laws into the family as his new daughters and treated them like princesses. He was so very proud of the caliber of men that his sons turned out to be. If he only knew that they had the best teacher in him all along the journey.
His strong hands as a mechanic guided the safety of helicopters, honorably assured his word when he shook the hands of business associates, softly held the hands of his beautiful Judy as they watched movies together and sunsets on the porch, tied fishing lures for the grandchildren fishing together at the lake, lifted those up around him when in despair, placed them together in prayer each day and lovingly guided his sons and grandchildren along their path in life with steadiness and wisdom. How honored we are to have such a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather to watch over us all the days of our life, until we meet again Papa.
Gary is preceded in death by his parents Carson and Omalee Holdridge, and son Gary Lynn Holdridge, Jr.
Gary is survived by his loving wife Judy Graham Holdridge, son Jame Lee Holdridge and wife Julie Boydstun Holdridge, son Allen Scott Holdridge and wife Kasey Wolters Holdridge, daughter-in-law Shannon Long Holdridge, sisters Cheryl Stennett and Sharon Thiberville, grandchildren Alyssa Holdridge Wiegand, Amber Holdridge, Noah Holdridge, Ian Holdridge, Tye Holdridge, and Rex Holdridge.
Pallbearers will be Noah Holdridge, Ian Holdridge, Tye Holdridge, Rex Holdridge, Tyler Brown, Teagan Thiberville, and Colin Wiegand.
We will celebrate his well lived life in the chapel at Kimbrough-Jacobs Funeral Home in Cisco, Texas on Saturday, August 24, 2024 at 3pm. He will be laid to rest in Romney Cemetery near Rising Star, Texas.
Memorials may be donated to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital and Wounded Warrior Project.
