Holt
Don O’dell Holt, 81, of Northport, Alabama, died Oct. 2, 2015, at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa. Visitation was from 5 until 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, followed by his funeral service immediately after. Both will be at the Magnolia Chapel Funeral Home North. Jerry Skinner will be officiating.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Clara Holt and infant brother, Edward Charles Holt. He will be buried beside them at the family’s ancestral family church, Walnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery outside Vivian. That will take place Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 10 a.m. followed by a reception/visitation in the church fellowship hall immediately after the burial. Gorsulowsky Funeral Home is in charge of the transport and burial arrangements.
Survivors include his wife, Lynda Ann; daughters, Donna Wise, Lisa Campbell (Greg) and Karen Potter (Dale); sons, Gary and Mark (Kristy); step-daughter, Stephanie Aultman; and step-son, Marc Sherrill (Annette); sister, Linda Moorehead (James) of Minden, LA; and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Music was a passion of Don’s beginning when he was a small boy of about four years old when his grandfather McDonald, a lay preacher and singing teacher, asked him if he would take over when he was called away to be with Jesus. Don was singing from then on. From venues such as The Louisiana Hayride to local venues to national recordings, Don has made many friends through his music and so many have remained a vital part of his life.
Don has also been Music Director and/or pianist for churches in the cities where he’s lived, ending a few months ago in the Northport, AL, area. Don lived most of his life in the cities of Vivian, Minden and Bogalusa, LA, as well as in Northport/Tuscaloosa, AL. He graduated with the Vivian High School Class of 1952. Don was quite active in high school where he was a cheerleader and still holds at least one baseball left-handed pitching record for the school. He also always had major parts in the schools operettas and other music programs. He’s always been much loved by those that knew him; I don’t think he ever met a stranger.
Pallbearers will be Don’s seven grandsons. Honorary pallbearers are all of Don’s music family and Dr. and Mrs. Debell.