Thomas Holland

Thomas Cleveland Holland, 93, passed away peacefully on Jan. 7, 2016, surrounded by his family.
Thomas was born in Lockhart on Jan. 29, 1922, to Cleveland Columbus and Tonie Holland.
In the 20’s and 30’s Thomas and his sister Georgia were raised by the Albert and Myrtle Schneider family.
During World War II Thomas served in the Army Air Corps as a tail gunner on a B-17 b

omber. His plane was shot down over Germany. He was captured and spent 10 months as a prisoner of war.
Returning home to Lockhart, Thomas married Opal Lackey, who he called “the prettiest girl in town,” in 1946, and together they raised three children.
Thomas worked as a mechanic, eventually owning his own business and becoming a Phillips 66 dealer. In the late 60’s he began a 10-year teaching career at Lockhart Junior High School. His last business was Holland’s Sales and Service where he worked until shortly before his death.
In the 90’s he built and flew his own airplane, developing a close friendship with his buddies at the Plane Talk Hanger at the Lockhart Airport. He continued to fly his plane until he was 90 years old.
Thomas is preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Opal, his sister, Georgia Jeffery, and Bobby Schneider.
He is survived by his children: Carole Peck (Steve), Joy Giles (Tip) and Tommy Holland; granddaughter, Miranda Peck; niece, Donna Bartlett; and nephews, Robert Johnson (Kim) and Jon Johnson. He is also survived by the Schneider sisters: Joyce Talley, Elizabeth Wales, Katie Thomas, and Myrtle Blanche Reeb.
Thomas was laid to rest on Tuesday, Jan. 12 at Memory Lawn Memorial Park in Martindale. Serving as pallbearers were sons-in-law, Steve Peck and Tip Giles, nephews, Robert Johnson, John Quinn and Robert Quinn, and friend and neighbor Cole Townsen. Honorary pallbearers were Phillip Wales, and Plane Talk Hanger buddies Ted Jones and Phil Cline.
Memorial Tributes should be made to The Wounded Warriors Project or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Arrangements under the care and guidance of McCurdy Funeral Home, 105 E. Pecan, Lockhart, Texas, (512) 398-4791.