Jerry Jay Holmes, 60

Jerry Jay Holmes of Post Falls, Idaho passed away on January 12th at the age of 60.  His family and friends are heartbroken to have lost a truly good man.  Jerry was born on May 12th, 1955 in Kemah, Texas to parents Elizabeth (Watkins) Holmes and Emory Holmes. He spent his childhood exploring, fishing, catching snakes and generally enjoying the great Texas outdoors with his siblings.  In his teenage years he began working on cars and developed great skills as a mechanic – skills he would use to keep

many of his friends and families cars running for years to come.  In 1980 he left Texas with his soon to be wife Katharine (McKann) Holmes, drove toward the Northwest and eventually landed in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in February 1981 and fell in love with the area.  They had 2 children, Nathan Holmes and Megan Holmes, and started a boat upholstery business, Mariners Canvas, which he continued to run until his passing.  For more than 20 years his sister Janie Holmes worked alongside him at Mariners Canvas and his son Nathan later joined the business. Throughout his life Jerry was an incredible friend to many many people and was always willing to lend a hand to help anyone in need.  He would give the shirt off his back without a second thought.  He was an avid musician, playing guitar and singing in multiple local Bluegrass bands (The Normal Fishin Tackle Band, Rare Mountain Air and the lesser known Sister Brothers).  After the bands dissolved Jerry continued to play music with friends and other local musicians, enjoying many a rowdy musical Saturday evening in his garage on Harrison Ave.  To his children Jerry was a loving and outgoing father.  He taught them to fish, took them on frequent camping trips both near and far, taught them to drive, coached multiple sports teams and enjoyed playing games of all sorts as a family.  He was seen many a New Year’s day jumping in Lake Coeur d’Alene with his daughter Megan at the Polar Bear Plunge on Sanders Beach.  He shared both his love of guitars and skills in upholstery with his son Nathan.  Jerry was well known to many Bryan elementary school students as the owner of ‘Old Man’s Way’ who let them cut through his yard on the way to and from school.  Jerry’s life was dedicated to bettering the lives of his friends, family and anyone who crossed his path.  He will be dearly missed.  Friends and family will be gathering at the Big Red Barn at 6679 Big Sky Drive, Post Falls, ID at 3pm on Friday, January 22nd to play music and share stories about Jerry. Please join us to celebrate his life.

 

  Jerry leaves behind the mother of his children, Katharine Holmes, his two children, Nathan and Megan Holmes along with Megan’s wife Tiffany Holmes and her son Cooper Holmes. He also leaves behind three brothers, Johnny, Jim and Joe Holmes, two sisters, Janie Holmes and Joanne Oliphint, numerous nieces and nephews in the South and his nieces and nephews in the Northwest, Thomas Conley, Ted Ebright and Dani Kennedy.  To Ted, Dani and her husband Jess Kennedy, Jerry was thought of more as a surrogate father and to Dani and Jess’s children, Dale, Jessica and David Kennedy, he provided a Grandfather figure they always cherished.