Francis "Pup" Holden

Francis Holden, formerly of Felton, Delaware, died in Culpeper, Virginia on January 21, 2020.  His daughter, Holly Holden Case, was by his side.

Pup, as he was known by so many, was the last of 12 children born on a farm on Park Brown Road between Felton and Harrington, Delaware.  He was the “pup” of the Holden litter, hence his nickname.  Pup was the son of Charles and Rachel (Larimore) Holden. He always said that at birth, his parents didn’t check to see if he was a boy or a girl - they just gave him the gender-neutral name of Francis / Frances.

His parents were hardworking, Christian people.  As Depression farmers, they had plenty to eat, but never much money.  Pup’s father purchased a box of shoes at an auction for 25 cents for his 12 children, and Pup entered first grade in Felton School wearing two mismatched ladies’ button up shoes.  He was teased by other children, and he made up his mind – then and there - that he would never be poor when he grew up.  With his winning personality, the children quit teasing him and he became a great friend to all who knew or ever met him.

Pup was one of the last surviving members of the Americans known as the Greatest Generation.  He enlisted in the Marine Corps right after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  He graduated as salutatorian of Felton High School (from a class of 12), but wasn’t able to attend commencement ceremonies because he was on his way to Parris Island.  He was so homesick, but after adjusting, he always said that the Marine Corps made him a man.  He was a Marine, and a Felton farm boy, until the day he died.  His Marine travels took him to many places in the Pacific, including Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Kuma Shima, and China.  He was slated to be among the first Marines to invade Japan.    Ultimately, President Truman made the decision to drop the atomic bomb, avoiding the needless death of so many Americans and Japanese.

Pup was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in May, 1946.  Three days later, he married his high school sweetheart, Louise Holliday, of Frederica.  In his quest to never be poor, he borrowed $800 from his in-laws and bought a used school bus.  He would get up early each morning and drive the bus around the countryside to pick up the Playtex workers.  Pup would then go to work, and after quitting time, he would return all the employees home. 

Pup quickly rose in Playtex management.  For 25 years, he oversaw operations in Dover, Georgia, Texas, Australia, and other manufacturing plants in the world.  Pup then left Playtex to join Aileen, Inc. as a Sr. Vice President, which had numerous clothing manufacturing plants in Virginia.  After many more years with Aileen, Pup retired.  He golfed for two weeks and was so bored he couldn’t stand it.  He then became a real estate agent.  Within a short time, Pup built and owned the Holden Group Century 21 Realty, a hugely successful agency in central Virginia.  He went to work every day until he was 91.  

Pup was a basketball player in Felton High School, a musician (playing lead guitar and singer in Nick Hurd’s Dance Hall in Felton), a wonderful dancer, an avid golfer, and a traveler who saw all 50 states and every continent except Antarctica.  His love of people, children, and animals was unwavering.  His two daughters said that if they could only bottle his attitude and enthusiasm for life, they would be billionaires.

Pup instilled the value of education in his family, and was so proud that all of his children and grandchildren had, unlike Pup and Louise, the opportunity to graduate from college.  Between his 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren, all hold undergraduate or graduate degrees from Emory, the University of Virginia, Dartmouth, MIT, the University of Delaware, the University of Florida, Cornell, Harvard, and Oxford.

Pup is survived by the mother of his children, Louise Holliday Holden, and his wife, Janet Holden.  He is also survived by two daughters, Lois Holden Benson (Scott) of Pensacola, FL and Holly Holden Case of Wyoming, DE.  In addition, he is survived by 4 grandchildren – Holly Benson of St. Louis, MO, Megan Pratt (Jerry) of Pensacola, FL, Rick Carroll of Wilmington, DE and Michael Holden Carroll (Brittney) of Middletown, DE.  Finally, he is survived by 4 great grandchildren – Anna Holliday Pratt and Ben Pratt (Pensacola, FL), Madison Carroll and Carter Carroll (Middletown, DE), and many, many nieces and nephews.  

Pup was predeceased by all of his 11 siblings:  Mary, Linda, Grace, Bayard, Agnes, Myrtle, Wallace, Violet, Ruth, Louis, and Anna. He was also predeceased by his son-in-law, Ty Case, and a special niece, Freda Kelley.  He was buried with military honors in the Culpeper National Cemetery in Culpeper, VA.

In lieu of flowers or donations, Pup would ask that each and every day you smile and say a kind word or help a person or animal in need.  That is the way he lived his life.  

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