Donald Kenneth (Don) Holt, 77, of Amherst (formerly of Manchester and Merrimack), died peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on December 31, 2015, following a brief illness. He was born on February 10, 1938 in Richmond Hill, NY, to the late Kenneth Francis Holt and Augusta Louise (Mais) Holt. Don attended Chaminade High School, graduated from Mineola High School in 1956, and then enlisted in the US Marine Corps, served on the aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain, and was honorably discharged in 1961.
Don is survived by the love of his life, Mary Ellen (Laqueur) Holt, whom he met in 1956, married in 1960, and with whom he celebrated those and other anniversaries for the next 55 years. He is also survived by his five children: Donna Holt, Kevin Holt, Denise Holt and her husband, Danny Lettre, George Holt and his wife, Jessica, Christine Holt and her partner, Ethan Waldo; six grandchildren: Jessica Holt and her husband, Bryan Favreau, Krista Charles, Angela (Holt) Correau and her husband Adam, Jason Holt and his wife, Erin, Miranda McAdams and her father, Kendall McAdams, and Marley Waldo; three great-grandchildren: Adam and Audrey Correau, and Clementine Favreau; his sister, Joan Caemmerer, and a very large and beloved extended family. Don’s love for his wife and family was boundless and immense; his long marriage was his greatest joy and he took great pride in his children and their families.
Preferring adventure to a traditional career path, Don worked as a bank teller, bartender, and taxi driver; at a race track, in department stores, as a traveling salesman, and as a landlord. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to start a clothing tag printing business in Manhattan, purchase and run a Dunkin Donuts franchise in Berlin, NH for six years, feed and schmooze with Nashua folks at his DK’s Delikase, The Director’s Deli, and Snickerdoodles restaurants from 1982-1994, and finally led him to his independent home improvement business, DK & Sons, in his last years.
Don’s easy manner and irreverent sense of humor made him friends everywhere he worked, played, or prayed. His gift for finding connection and common ground with anyone, anywhere was a daily source of great joy for him, and an inspiration to those who knew him. He cared deeply for others and had a genuine desire to be of service. He ran Marriage Encounter weekends and served on parish councils and in youth ministry roles; trained for and provided bereavement support and time off for caregivers of dementia patients; volunteered for soup kitchens, gave rides to a dialysis patient, and, most recently, became a driver for Meals on Wheels. He was also regularly sought out by a wide circle of family and friends for advice, support, or a hearty laugh. Don was opinionated and could be quick-tempered if he believed someone was being disrespectful toward him or a loved one, but what mattered most to him was to provide love, support, and tangible assistance to those in need. He laughed hard, worked harder, and continued to grow in his capacity to love throughout his entire life.
Calling hours and a service will be held on Saturday, January 16, 2016 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory, 1799 Elm St., Manchester, NH. Don’s memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 am on Saturday, February 13, 2016 at Our Lady of Mercy Church, Merrimack, NH 03054.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Don’s name to one of the following charities: Project Eden, PO Box 620, Durham, NH 03824-0620 or Casserly House, C/O Sister Nancy Braceland, 42 Stellman Road, Roslindale, MA 02131.