Robert John Holden (1922 - 2012)

Born 22 Feb 1922 in Highgate, Franklin, Vermont, United States

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Biography

Robert John Holden

Born in Highgate on February 22, 1922, son of Mr. William Holden and Blanch (Fales) Holden

Birth

Robert was born in Highgate on February 22, 1922, ^[1]

Death

SOUTH POMFRET — A graveside service for Robert J. Holden, who passed away Oct. 15, after a long struggle with heart failure, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. in the Silver Lake Cemetery in Barnard.

Born in Highgate on February 22, 1922, son of Mr. William Holden and Blanch (Fales) Holden, Robert lived in many areas of northwestern and as far south as Rochester as a young man.

He joined the Army and was later honorably discharged for injuries suffered in training.

He went on to work as a machinist at Cone Automatic in Windsor and later at Fellows Gearshaper in Springfield, Vermont. He often held a second job as carpenter working for C.T. Maxham, Max Boynton, and Flanders and Patch. For a time he was caretaker of the Talbot House when it was owned by MIT.

He married Georgena Conrad in 1945, and purchased the house he helped build in South Pomfret ^[2]

Robert played guitar, harmonica, and dabbled with the keyboard. He wrote poetry, songs and parodies. He was often asked to write songs for special occasions.

For a time he was a member of Teago Grange #324, and reveled in the position of Lecturer, presenting programs and participating in New England Lecturers’ Conference. Robert and Georgena were also square dancers and enjoyed traveling around the state for square dance gatherings.

Robert was an avid hunter and fisherman.

He is survived by his son, a sister-in-law, Murriel Snelling, brother and sister-in-law , and many nieces and nephews, and two grandchildren:.

He was predeceased by his parents; a brother, William, and two sisters; Bertha Kija, and Rotha Hazzard, and his wife of 62 years, Georgena.

"My Uncle Bob was truly one of a kind. Up until he passed, he could easily recall from memory poems and song lyrics he had written in his twenties. He was a quiet and gentle man who made a great impact on me and my life. As a child he almost drowned and because of this he made sure that all children under his care learned to swim. That is how my dad learned. As a boy, my father would spend half of his summers with Bob and Gena (his sister), and the other half with Ronald (his brother) and Ethel. My father was like a son and brother to Bob.

I really miss this wonderful man. He was the grandfather I never had."

-- Coreen

Burial

Silver Lake Cemetery Barnard, Windsor County, Vermont, USA - Findagrave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69171587/robert-j_-holden

Research Notes

Name: Robert John Holden

Event Type: Birth

Event Date: 22 Feb 1922

Event Place: Highgate, Franklin, Vermont, United States

Gender: Male

Father's Name: William Holden

Mother's Name: Blanche Holden

Sources

1. ↑ "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-2008," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFYK-2ZR : 6 December 2014), Robert John Holden, Birth, 22 Feb 1922, Highgate, Franklin, Vermont, United States; from "Vermont, Birth Records, 1909-2008," "Vermont, Death Records, 1909-2008," "Vermont, Marriage Records, 1909-2008," and "Vermont, Vital Records, 1720-1908." Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2010); citing Vital Records Office, Vermont Department of Health, Burlington and New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.
2. ↑ "Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPQ6-4Z7D : 29 November 2018), Harris K Conrad in entry for Robert J Holden and Georgena Conrad, 4 Jun 1945; citing Marriage, Windsor, Windsor, Vermont, United States, various town clerks and records divisions, Vermont; FHL microfilm 005486614.