Obituary
Guest Book
The final wishes of Elmer Allen Holbrook, Jr. were answered when he went to be with the Lord on his wife, Nancy's birthday, passing away on August 13, 2017 at the age of 98, in his ancestral home built in 1780, in Richmond, NH.
Elmer, also known to his family and friends as Allen, came into the world on June 9, 1919 in Washington, DC, to his parents, Edith Laura (Brookfield) and Elmer Allen Holbrook, Sr.
Allen's beloved family farm was leased from Allen's father by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department to establish a trout raising hatchery. Thus the name of the road became known as the Fish Hatchery Road. The State abandoned the successful operation in 1983 when they secured the larger federal hatchery in Berlin, NH as a replacement.
Over the years, his family spent their summer months at the farm in Richmond. In Allen's earlier years, while summering in Richmond, he attended Camp Wiyaka for 11 years.
Allen graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. While in college, he tried out with the Pittsburg Pirates MLB team as a shortstop. However, a knee injury prevented him from actually signing with the Pirates.
Following graduation, he immediately went to work for ten years with the United States Steel Corp in Youngstown, Ohio, becoming a maintenance foreman. He then spent five years with Pittsburgh Screw and Bolt as a plant superintendent.
Moving to Oakland, CA, Allen worked for 26 years with Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation. Over this time, he built up operations in Argentina and Australia. In his later years, Allen became the Corporate Vice-President, and also President of International Operations.
Allen played most sports in school and kept pace with all of the sport teams wherever he lived. Keeping his mind active, Allen read two newspapers a day and a book a month. He also kept the telephone company busy with his many phone calls statewide and to many foreign locations, as he preferred to hear a friendly voice rather than rely on the computer and email. He also enjoyed patronizing casinos across the country in his later years.
With the passing of his high school sweetheart and wife of 67 years, Nancy May (Robling) Holbrook in 2008, Allen made a permanent home on the farm in Richmond.
He will be greatly missed by many friends around the world, but especially by his younger sister, Ruth Graeff of Peterborough, NH; his many nieces, nephews, cousins and god children; and his two special friends whom kept in constant contact with him so he could live full-time at his home, Linda Christo and Jean Schneider.
Allen will be laid to rest beside his beloved wife, Nancy, in the Allegheny County Memorial Park, Allison Park, PA on Monday, August 21, 2017 at 11:00AM.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 23, 2017 at 11:00AM in the Richmond Community United Methodist Church, 11 Fitzwilliam Road, Richmond, NH. Family and friends are welcome to attend.
For those who wish, donations may be made in Mr. Holbrook's memory to Home Healthcare Hospice and Community Services, PO Box 564, Keene, NH 03431-0564, or to the Richmond Community United Methodist Church, 11 Fitzwilliam Road, Richmond, NH 03470.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Sponsored by Foley Funeral Home.
3 Entries
August 18, 2017
Marian Rudolph Nelson
To the family and close friends of our darling Allen.
Please accept my condolences on the loss of our wonderful friend. We knew Allen through our long time attendance at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Napa. He and Nancy were like family to us. My husband Ross Rudolph and I visited them at the farm several times, and when Ross passed in 1998, it was Allen who led his memorial service for us. He is finally with his "sweetheart". May they rest is peace. They are in my prayers. Marian Rudolph Nelson
August 16, 2017
May the God of all comfort strengthen the family during this time of deep sorrow. Those who pass on, God keeps in his memory because they are precious in his eyes. My sincerest condolences. Psalms 116:15
August 16, 2017
Pastor Arnie Johnson
I pray that Allen will continue that love with his wife Nancy as they will once again be side by side. May you, Allen, bless others in heaven as you have blessed us here on earth.
Showing 1 - 3 of 3 results
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read moreWhat kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read moreWe'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreIf you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read moreLegacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read moreThey're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read more