Herbert Holden

Herbert E Holden, 97, of Monticello, died at 7:20 am on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at Terre Haute (Indiana) Regional Hospital.

The visitation will be held on Monday, July 1, at Owens Funeral Home, 101 N. Elm St, Champaign from 10-11 am. Funeral services will begin at 11am at the funeral home. Burial will be at Ingram Cemetery, Centerville.

He was born on June 13, 1922 in Champaign, the son of Charles Edward and Harriet Elizabeth (Day) Holden. He graduated from Champaign High School in 1940. Herbert was drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1942. While stationed at Ft. Campbell, KY, he married Betty Jane Fleming on March 20, 1943. They remained married for 73 years, until her death on July 22, 2016.

Herbert served as a military policeman in the 9th Air Corps in England, France and Belgium until his discharge in October 1945. He then went back to work at his mother-in-law’s grocery store (Brownie’s Market). In 1950, he started building homes in the Champaign area for contractor, MJ Ennis. In 1968 he worked as a contractor building homes in Champaign and Piatt counties until he retired in 1988.

In 1950, Herb and his wife took up playing golf at the Lake of the Woods golf course in summers and in bowling leagues in winters at Arrowhead Lanes in Champaign.

In 1964 Herb and Betty Jane started collecting and restoring pre-WWII cars. In all he restored 4 trophy winning cars and other daily drivers. They went from Pennsylvania to Oklahoma looking for parts and having their cars judged.

Space requirements made necessary a new house and shop in rural White Health, in Nov. 1974. While Herb and Betty Jane lived in Piatt county they joined churches in Centerville and Monticello, becoming more involved in Christian life.

Herb was preceded in death by his father in 1962 and his mother in 1966; a sister, Stella and a brother, Charles Jr.

Survivors include a sister, Vera Capan (age 100); 2 sons, Larry and William, both of Monticello; 2 granddaughters, Karla (Dennis) McMillen of Hanna City and Alicia Holden of Morton; 2 great grandsons, Joshua and Sam McMillen; along with many cousins, nieces and nephews in and around Champaign, Illinois and the surrounding states.

The family requests that donations be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.

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