Richard Holmes Obituary

Richard Evans Holmes VAN BUREN, AR - Richard "Rick" Evans Holmes, 60 from Van Buren, AR, Charleston, SC and New York City, NY, died unexpectedly Saturday, August 9th, while working on his sailboat in Charleston, SC. Born on January 29, 1965 and the youngest of three children to Richard and Armeda (Evans) Holmes, Rick grew up in a home that was full of love, where he was nurtured and educated by his amazing family. His sister, Susan, watched over him and with his brother, George, he would often get into adventures, usually good, sometimes leading to trouble, but always memorable. Not to mention all his cousins that he grew up with, that he absolutely enjoyed and created many memories with that he talked about often. He loved each and every one of you and told me often he was blessed. Rick grew up in Van Buren, AR, where he created his first friendships that are still as strong today as they were when they were created. A friendship created with him was a lifelong one as many of his childhood friends know. The many stories he would tell, about his adventures and the trouble they got into always made me laugh. To his friends he grew up with, he loved you and treasured his memories with you and was blessed to have you in his life. Rick pursued a few career choices, first with TV40/29 and then KTUL in Tulsa as a video-photographer, then at Fort Chaffee, but settled into a career in IT. He worked for a few companies before starting his own company. RJ Inc, which was created in August of 1998. He took extreme care of his clients using his knowledge and understanding of IT and his company became a success. When it comes to his clients and coworkers, they were always more than that, they were family, and he loved you all. His next adventure was a move to Charleston, SC, to pursue a new IT career chapter and also pursue his love of sailing in the ocean. With help from cousins, he had a place to stay and was loved and taken care of and these cousins have a special place in his heart. He started with Blackbaud, Inc. and headed down to the marina, where he started to meet his new sailing family. Rick earned many crew positions on a large variety of different sailboats racing in Charleston and other regattas. With connections made with his new sailing family an opportunity came for a new IT position at MUSC (Medical University of South Carolina). With this new career, he pursued a new degree and achieved ECSM certification. This achievement he was proud of, and I was never so proud as to see him go after it and make it happen. The friendships he created there at his work home Blackbaud/MUSC were lasting ones and to his sailing family his love for you was immense. Thank you for loving this sailor till the end of his watch. Another adventure this time was in New York City, NY. Off to NYC, he went to start work at New York City Health & Hospital. Rick referred to this job as his "Dream Job" and he felt so blessed about work life, and working this new large, dynamic network, he always said "I am so bored with these small networks." Not with NYCHH. You captivated him! He worked for them for the last 10 years and in the process, he created such deep bonds and everyday friendships with his co-workers. You are "brothers from different mothers" and he loved you all. He had two amazing children, Colton and Kelsi, that he was so proud of, he loved you both so very much. He was "Papa Rico" to 6 beautiful grandchildren: Ava, Mia, Cruz, Daemon, Remi and Rowan, and this role of being a grandfather was the one he loved the most. Nobody was better than "Papa Rico" for getting them excited and always teaching them something new. The love for his children and grandchildren is one of the happiest times he cherished and for me to remember. He loved you and will forever watch over you. He is survived by his wife, Joan (Fundermann) Holmes, whom he has been creating memories with for 30 years. It's not losing just someone you loved, it's losing the friendship, communication of past adventures and the future ones that will not happen. We know that Rick always lived life on the edge and would chase his passions. He was on the ocean working on Dream Flower, his beloved sailboat, and even though that is hard to accept, he died where he loved to be and doing what he loved. You are so missed Rick, and I love you so deeply. This wonderful man will be missed by so many is an understatement. Your loving wife. Rick was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Armeda Holmes, and survived by his wife, Joan, children, Colton (Melanie) Vollmer, Kelsi (Robert) Rodriguez, Brianna (Dustin) Williams, sister, Susan (Greg), brother, George (Lindi) and 8 grandchildren: Ava, Mia, Cruz, Daemon, Remi, Rowan, Collier and Campbell. Please, no flowers or plants. All donations to Trinity Episcopal Church, 918 N 9th Street, Van Buren, AR 72956. His funeral service will be held, Saturday, September 6, 2025, in Trinity Episcopal Church, 918 N 9th Street, Van Buren AR 72956, at 1:00 pm. That evening, at 6:00 pm, a Celebration of Life will be held at 3015 Zion Road, Van Buren, AR. There is also a gathering on September 7, 2025 at Tenkiller Lake, OK at 1:00 pm. A Sailor's Farewell will be held in Charleston Harbor at a later date, as will the New York City Farewell, in NY, NY, tentatively during the dates of September 22-25, 2025. A memorial message may be sent to the family on our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.