Robert Holdren Obituary

Holdren Sr
Robert "Spud" Lee Holdren Sr
August 5, 1933
March 1, 2023

Robert "Spud" Lee Holdren Sr
8/5/1933 - 3/1/2023
Robert "Spud" Lee Holdren Sr passed into the arms of his Lord Jesus on the evening of March 1, 2023. Spud lived a long, full, and very interesting life. He was born in Rutherford, NJ and was adopted by Clifford and Elizabeth (Rogers) Holdren at age 2 and raised in Rawlins, Wy until his mother left his dad when he was five. His mother came to CO, where she was from and put him in several Colorado orphanages until finding a home for him at The Christian Home for Children in Colorado Springs. Spud was taken in as a "foster" child to Bob and Jeanette Wilson. They were his true parents! All are deceased.
Spud attended Colorado Springs High School (now Palmer HS) until age 17 when he acquired his GED and entered the Marines in Aug 1950. Spud was deployed to Korea in Oct 1950 and was injured forcing his exit from military duty with an honorable discharge in Nov 1953 after achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSgt). Semper Fi - once a Marine, always a Marine.
Spud met Donna Cozart Payne in 1954 and they married in 1955. This union brought three children into their lives: Pama, Robert Jr and Richard. Spud and Donna divorced in 1968.
Spud began his journey into the world of education by obtaining his bachelors in education at Colorado Teaching College in Greeley (now UNC). He furthered his education with his Masters in World history at CU Boulder. His first teaching job was at East Jr High, followed by Mann Jr High and then to Cheyenne Mountain High School in 1961. While teaching at Cheyenne Mtn High School, he coached swimming, tennis, and basketball. Students who had him as a coach or teacher have always said he treated the students as equals when teaching rather than students. He was the weekend weatherman for KRDO during this time. No matter what he did in life, he was always a teacher first!
He left teaching in 1968 to move into the corporate industry in sales for Litton Industries relocating to Illinois and then to California's East Bay area. He remained with Litton for many years before starting his own office machine business, VIVEX, in Walnut Creek, CA until retiring in 1996 and moving to Benicia, CA, where he owned his 'baby yacht' and enjoyed the open seas any chance he had. He loved the open waters!
After "retiring", he met and married Linda London. Retirement was never in Spud's vocabulary or life, so he opened a small coffee roasting and cigar company until he fully retired to Petaluma in 2005. After Linda passed away in 2017, Spud moved back to Colorado Springs, CO to be close to his kids and grand-kids.
Spud was a giving man with a huge heart and would help anyone in need at the drop of a hat. He loved his Lord Jesus and was a lifelong man of deep faith. Always an athlete who spent many hours coaching his kids to distance bike, football, basketball (his favorite), swimming and tennis. He had an incredible, contagious laugh that will be missed.
Besides his parents and wife, Spud is also preceded in death by son Richard Alan Holdren. He is survived by his children Pama Holdren Beatty (Casey), Robert Lee Holdren, Jr, both of Colorado Springs, and Jane Pardew Venis (Thomas) of Independence, MO. He is survived by his precious grandchildren, who he adored, Jacqueline Beeman (Nicholas), Michael W Cookson (Katelyn), both of Denver, CO, Robert Cookson of Anchorage, AK, Zachary Cookson, Richard Cookson (Laura) both of Colorado Springs; great grandchildren Levi, Jocelyn, Charles; sisters Barbara McLane (Ronald) of Clarksville, TN, and Louise McClure (Oren) of Cascade, CO; stepchildren Christopher London, Whitney London, Heather London. Spud is also survived by his first wife, Donna, who he remained close to.
We wish to thank Myron Stratton Winfield House (Dan, Margaret, Cassie (Sassy), Yolanda, Danny, Ron, Stephanie); Jay and Yanna Gesche for their compassion and wonderful care of Spud to the end; Colorado VA staff, at all levels, were incredible!
A private burial is planned with full military honors at Pikes Peak National Cemetery. If you wish to make a memorial donation in Spud's name please make them to US Dept Veteran Affairs, Mt Carmel Veteran Services or Myron Stratton Winfield House. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, May 13, 2023, 2pm, at Patty Jewett club house.