Stephen E. "Steve" Holdeman's Obituary
Steve Holdeman – Nov 11th 1923 – June 21st 2012
Stephen E. Holdeman passed away on June 21st 2012. He lived in Lakeside on Letarte Ave until April of 2012 and spent the last two month of his life being looked after in the home of Charles Holdeman and Robbin Ward, and the good folks of Mercy Hospice Services.
Steve grew up during the Great Depression at the house on 2216 Miner with his father Lloyd Holloway Holdeman, mother Vivian Cottingham Holdeman, and brothers and sisters John, Mary, Laura, David, and Elizabeth Holdeman. He attended Bunker Schools and graduated from Muskegon High School. He entered the United States Army in Feb of 1943, served with the Army Air Force Base unit, and was honorably discharged as a corporal in February of 1946.
In 1949 Steve married Jeanne Wingerson Holdeman (Aug 1928-Sept 1990). They had two sons, Lloyd Stephen Holdeman, and Charles Raymond Holdeman. They raised their family in houses on Miner and Crozier St. He worked as a draftsman for companies Westran, Shaw Crane, Campbell Wyatt and Cannon, and spent a year with the Lester B. Knight Co. in Chicago. In 1966, in partnership with his wife, Steve built a building in Muskegon Hts. and founded Industrial Weldors Inc. which eventually became Industrial Fabricators and sustained production into the 1990's.
Always active in the community, Steve was a member of the Lakeside Methodist Church, a former President of the Muskegon Chamber of Commerce, a Lifetime Master Mason at the Naochite Lodge No. 507 from 1963, a 100 Million Dollar Club member of the Shriners, and a former Commodore of the Muskegon Power Squadron. In 1985 Steve was elected Commissioner at Large, served on the Muskegon City Commission. He was the motivating force in the City’s acquisition of the land at Sherman and US 31 for commercial and industrial purposes. Steve Holdeman became Muskegon’s Vice Mayor in 1988.
For recreation Steve kept a fine Carver cabin cruiser docked at the Hartshorne Marina. He entertained friends and family members who often traveled from Illinois, Indiana, and Arizona. In his garage on Letarte Ave he worked on old Mustangs and El Caminos. He owned the SherMac Building on the corner of Sherman and McCracken, and other rentals, and spent his senior years maintaining the properties. He spent the last decade of his life with former High School sweetheart Betty Richardson, and they were a lovely couple. Steve has 6 grandchildren and 4 great children.
A memorial service will be held at Lakeside United Methodist Church on July 11th at 11:00 AM. Family members will greet people beginning at 10:00. You may sign the family’s on-line guest book at www.sytsemafh.com. Contributions in memory of Stephen may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project. Arrangements by The Walburn Chapel, 1547 W. Sherman Blvd., Muskegon,MI 49441, (231) 759-8565.
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