Fred Otto Holy, 93, died of complications from prostate cancer on Sunday (June 25, 2023) at 4:35 a.m., surrounded by his family.
He was born on March 23, 1930, in Chicago, the only son of Czech immigrants Josef and Millie (Rehor) Holy. He attended grade school in Onarga and Roberts, and he was salutatorian of Roberts High School, Class of 1948. He worked for the Hicks Propane division in Roberts until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in September 1951.
Fred married Ethelyeen Hoppler on Nov. 5, 1950, in Roberts, just before beginning his military service. After completing basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Fred was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he was granted secret clearance and trained on the Radar Defense Service. He worked on the early Raytheon System and was later stationed in Spokane, Wash., to guard a nuclear facility at Hanford and was active in the long-range radar and anti-aircraft guns.
Fred and Ethelyeen moved back to Illinois at the end of his military service. He attended the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (Electronics College) on the G.I. Bill. While going to college, Fred started working for PLATO and became an electronics technician. He built and serviced PLATO terminals for years.
Fred and Ethelyeen's loving union produced three children. Once he became a father, Fred stopped school and started working full time for the UIUC until his retirement in 1989.
Fred was always an industrious man and worked hard at everything he did. In addition to his full-time position, he worked at night, repairing tape recorders in his home. As time went on, he developed and established his own business; first called Audio Tape and Recorder Specialists, then later called Champaign Audio Visual, and continued his electronics repair shop with his business partners Tony Susedik, Steve Holy and Grant Payne and other employees until his second retirement some years later.
Fred was a naturalist at heart with a love of nature since childhood and enjoyed fishing, camping and hiking throughout his life. He and Ethelyeen would take vacations of camping and travel with the family nearly every year. Fred prided himself on the fact that he has visited all 50 states. He especially enjoyed driving the Alaskan highway with his sister, Ruth.
Fred added photography to his list of interests, with nature and family occasions being his favorite subjects. Oft times, he would create a poem to go with a special event or photo, too.
Fred sought the good in everyone he met. He will be remembered for his warmth, quick wit, kindness, congeniality and curiosity. While proud of his Czech heritage, he was an American patriot to his core.
Fred was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Ruth; brother-in-law, Rex Willamon; son, Steve Holy; and sister-in-law, Leola Weston.
He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Ethelyeen; two daughters and their spouses, Eileen (Thomas) Miller and Ellen Holy (Greg Sellers); his daughter-in-law, Kristen Fischer; grandchildren, Matt (Asher) Holy, Pat (Aimee Densmore) Holy, Wendy Miller, Sheri (Kirk Babcock) Stewart, Graham (Kelly) Sellers and Tyler Sellers; as well as four great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
If you wish to donate to charity in Fred's name, please consider Wounded Warriors, the CU Humane Society, Champaign County Forest Preserve, The Nature Conservancy or P.A.C.E., 1317 E. Florida Ave., Urbana, IL 61801.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 8, at Morgan Memorial Home, 1304 Regency Drive West, Savoy. Interment will be in Grandview Memorial Gardens, 4112 W. Bloomington Road, Champaign. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. prior to the funeral.
Fred's family would like to thank the OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center Emergency Room, Urbana; OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Peoria; and especially Karen West and Diane Bushman's team from OSF Home Health and Hospice, Champaign, for the excellent care Fred was given since March 2023.
Published by The News-Gazette from Jun. 28 to Jul. 2, 2023.
He was born on March 23, 1930, in Chicago, the only son of Czech immigrants Josef and Millie (Rehor) Holy. He attended grade school in Onarga and Roberts, and he was salutatorian of Roberts High School, Class of 1948. He worked for the Hicks Propane division in Roberts until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in September 1951.
Fred married Ethelyeen Hoppler on Nov. 5, 1950, in Roberts, just before beginning his military service. After completing basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Fred was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he was granted secret clearance and trained on the Radar Defense Service. He worked on the early Raytheon System and was later stationed in Spokane, Wash., to guard a nuclear facility at Hanford and was active in the long-range radar and anti-aircraft guns.
Fred and Ethelyeen moved back to Illinois at the end of his military service. He attended the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (Electronics College) on the G.I. Bill. While going to college, Fred started working for PLATO and became an electronics technician. He built and serviced PLATO terminals for years.
Fred and Ethelyeen's loving union produced three children. Once he became a father, Fred stopped school and started working full time for the UIUC until his retirement in 1989.
Fred was always an industrious man and worked hard at everything he did. In addition to his full-time position, he worked at night, repairing tape recorders in his home. As time went on, he developed and established his own business; first called Audio Tape and Recorder Specialists, then later called Champaign Audio Visual, and continued his electronics repair shop with his business partners Tony Susedik, Steve Holy and Grant Payne and other employees until his second retirement some years later.
Fred was a naturalist at heart with a love of nature since childhood and enjoyed fishing, camping and hiking throughout his life. He and Ethelyeen would take vacations of camping and travel with the family nearly every year. Fred prided himself on the fact that he has visited all 50 states. He especially enjoyed driving the Alaskan highway with his sister, Ruth.
Fred added photography to his list of interests, with nature and family occasions being his favorite subjects. Oft times, he would create a poem to go with a special event or photo, too.
Fred sought the good in everyone he met. He will be remembered for his warmth, quick wit, kindness, congeniality and curiosity. While proud of his Czech heritage, he was an American patriot to his core.
Fred was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Ruth; brother-in-law, Rex Willamon; son, Steve Holy; and sister-in-law, Leola Weston.
He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Ethelyeen; two daughters and their spouses, Eileen (Thomas) Miller and Ellen Holy (Greg Sellers); his daughter-in-law, Kristen Fischer; grandchildren, Matt (Asher) Holy, Pat (Aimee Densmore) Holy, Wendy Miller, Sheri (Kirk Babcock) Stewart, Graham (Kelly) Sellers and Tyler Sellers; as well as four great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
If you wish to donate to charity in Fred's name, please consider Wounded Warriors, the CU Humane Society, Champaign County Forest Preserve, The Nature Conservancy or P.A.C.E., 1317 E. Florida Ave., Urbana, IL 61801.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 8, at Morgan Memorial Home, 1304 Regency Drive West, Savoy. Interment will be in Grandview Memorial Gardens, 4112 W. Bloomington Road, Champaign. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. prior to the funeral.
Fred's family would like to thank the OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center Emergency Room, Urbana; OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Peoria; and especially Karen West and Diane Bushman's team from OSF Home Health and Hospice, Champaign, for the excellent care Fred was given since March 2023.
Published by The News-Gazette from Jun. 28 to Jul. 2, 2023.
Fred Otto Holy, 93, died of complications from prostate cancer on Sunday (June 25, 2023) at 4:35 a.m., surrounded by his family.
He was born on March 23, 1930, in Chicago, the only son of Czech immigrants Josef and Millie (Rehor) Holy. He attended grade school in Onarga and Roberts, and he was salutatorian of Roberts High School, Class of 1948. He worked for the Hicks Propane division in Roberts until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in September 1951.
Fred married Ethelyeen Hoppler on Nov. 5, 1950, in Roberts, just before beginning his military service. After completing basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Fred was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he was granted secret clearance and trained on the Radar Defense Service. He worked on the early Raytheon System and was later stationed in Spokane, Wash., to guard a nuclear facility at Hanford and was active in the long-range radar and anti-aircraft guns.
Fred and Ethelyeen moved back to Illinois at the end of his military service. He attended the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (Electronics College) on the G.I. Bill. While going to college, Fred started working for PLATO and became an electronics technician. He built and serviced PLATO terminals for years.
Fred and Ethelyeen's loving union produced three children. Once he became a father, Fred stopped school and started working full time for the UIUC until his retirement in 1989.
Fred was always an industrious man and worked hard at everything he did. In addition to his full-time position, he worked at night, repairing tape recorders in his home. As time went on, he developed and established his own business; first called Audio Tape and Recorder Specialists, then later called Champaign Audio Visual, and continued his electronics repair shop with his business partners Tony Susedik, Steve Holy and Grant Payne and other employees until his second retirement some years later.
Fred was a naturalist at heart with a love of nature since childhood and enjoyed fishing, camping and hiking throughout his life. He and Ethelyeen would take vacations of camping and travel with the family nearly every year. Fred prided himself on the fact that he has visited all 50 states. He especially enjoyed driving the Alaskan highway with his sister, Ruth.
Fred added photography to his list of interests, with nature and family occasions being his favorite subjects. Oft times, he would create a poem to go with a special event or photo, too.
Fred sought the good in everyone he met. He will be remembered for his warmth, quick wit, kindness, congeniality and curiosity. While proud of his Czech heritage, he was an American patriot to his core.
Fred was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Ruth; brother-in-law, Rex Willamon; son, Steve Holy; and sister-in-law, Leola Weston.
He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Ethelyeen; two daughters and their spouses, Eileen (Thomas) Miller and Ellen Holy (Greg Sellers); his daughter-in-law, Kristen Fischer; grandchildren, Matt (Asher) Holy, Pat (Aimee Densmore) Holy, Wendy Miller, Sheri (Kirk Babcock) Stewart, Graham (Kelly) Sellers and Tyler Sellers; as well as four great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
If you wish to donate to charity in Fred's name, please consider Wounded Warriors, the CU Humane Society, Champaign County Forest Preserve, The Nature Conservancy or P.A.C.E., 1317 E. Florida Ave., Urbana, IL 61801.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 8, at Morgan Memorial Home, 1304 Regency Drive West, Savoy. Interment will be in Grandview Memorial Gardens, 4112 W. Bloomington Road, Champaign. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. prior to the funeral.
Fred's family would like to thank the OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center Emergency Room, Urbana; OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Peoria; and especially Karen West and Diane Bushman's team from OSF Home Health and Hospice, Champaign, for the excellent care Fred was given since March 2023.
Published by The News-Gazette from Jun. 28 to Jul. 2, 2023.
He was born on March 23, 1930, in Chicago, the only son of Czech immigrants Josef and Millie (Rehor) Holy. He attended grade school in Onarga and Roberts, and he was salutatorian of Roberts High School, Class of 1948. He worked for the Hicks Propane division in Roberts until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in September 1951.
Fred married Ethelyeen Hoppler on Nov. 5, 1950, in Roberts, just before beginning his military service. After completing basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Fred was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he was granted secret clearance and trained on the Radar Defense Service. He worked on the early Raytheon System and was later stationed in Spokane, Wash., to guard a nuclear facility at Hanford and was active in the long-range radar and anti-aircraft guns.
Fred and Ethelyeen moved back to Illinois at the end of his military service. He attended the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (Electronics College) on the G.I. Bill. While going to college, Fred started working for PLATO and became an electronics technician. He built and serviced PLATO terminals for years.
Fred and Ethelyeen's loving union produced three children. Once he became a father, Fred stopped school and started working full time for the UIUC until his retirement in 1989.
Fred was always an industrious man and worked hard at everything he did. In addition to his full-time position, he worked at night, repairing tape recorders in his home. As time went on, he developed and established his own business; first called Audio Tape and Recorder Specialists, then later called Champaign Audio Visual, and continued his electronics repair shop with his business partners Tony Susedik, Steve Holy and Grant Payne and other employees until his second retirement some years later.
Fred was a naturalist at heart with a love of nature since childhood and enjoyed fishing, camping and hiking throughout his life. He and Ethelyeen would take vacations of camping and travel with the family nearly every year. Fred prided himself on the fact that he has visited all 50 states. He especially enjoyed driving the Alaskan highway with his sister, Ruth.
Fred added photography to his list of interests, with nature and family occasions being his favorite subjects. Oft times, he would create a poem to go with a special event or photo, too.
Fred sought the good in everyone he met. He will be remembered for his warmth, quick wit, kindness, congeniality and curiosity. While proud of his Czech heritage, he was an American patriot to his core.
Fred was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Ruth; brother-in-law, Rex Willamon; son, Steve Holy; and sister-in-law, Leola Weston.
He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Ethelyeen; two daughters and their spouses, Eileen (Thomas) Miller and Ellen Holy (Greg Sellers); his daughter-in-law, Kristen Fischer; grandchildren, Matt (Asher) Holy, Pat (Aimee Densmore) Holy, Wendy Miller, Sheri (Kirk Babcock) Stewart, Graham (Kelly) Sellers and Tyler Sellers; as well as four great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
If you wish to donate to charity in Fred's name, please consider Wounded Warriors, the CU Humane Society, Champaign County Forest Preserve, The Nature Conservancy or P.A.C.E., 1317 E. Florida Ave., Urbana, IL 61801.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 8, at Morgan Memorial Home, 1304 Regency Drive West, Savoy. Interment will be in Grandview Memorial Gardens, 4112 W. Bloomington Road, Champaign. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. prior to the funeral.
Fred's family would like to thank the OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center Emergency Room, Urbana; OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Peoria; and especially Karen West and Diane Bushman's team from OSF Home Health and Hospice, Champaign, for the excellent care Fred was given since March 2023.
Published by The News-Gazette from Jun. 28 to Jul. 2, 2023.
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