Clifford F. Holt

April 2, 1917 – August 10, 2002

Former Great Falls resident and military veteran Clifford F. Hold Jr., 85, died August 10 at Evergreen Nursing Home in Olympia, Washington of complications from pneumonia and a stroke.

Cremation has taken place, with burial in Highland Cemetery.

Survivors include his wife, Margaret Holt of Portland, Oregon; a daughter, Sandra Holt; a son, Douglas Holt; stepsons James Christensen and Steven Christensen; and four grandchildren.

Additional survivors include a nephew, Gregory B. Holt of Great Falls. His grandchildren are Justin and Zachary Hubert, Tyler Bartlett and Maria Hubert.

Cliff was born April 2, 1917, in Great Falls, Montana, and graduated from Great Falls High School in 1935. Following graduation, he worked for his father, Judge Clifford F. Holt Sr., until leaving to attend the University of California at Berkeley in 1936.

Cliff enlisted in the Army Air Corps in San Francisco on October 20, 1942 and served as a radio operator on B-17s. He flew 35 combat missions over Europe, Normandy, Northern France and Germany. He was discharged in July, 1945, at Fort George, Washington as a technical sergeant. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross air medal with three oak leaf clusters and European, African, Middle Eastern service ribbons with four bronze stars.

Following his discharge, Cliff lived for several years in Havre and Great Falls before moving to Washington in 1951, where he was employed as an electronics mechanic at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton. He later transferred to the Quality Assurance Lab as a calibration measurement specialist, retiring in March, 1976 with 30 years service.

Cliff had been a HAM radio operator since 1935 with call letters W7-PPT.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Byron Holt; and a sister, Margaret Holt Harsh.

Memorials are suggest to the Shriners’ Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon.

Great Falls Tribune (Great Falls, Cascade Montana) September 12, 2002