David Holmes

David W. Holmes, age 98, of Wilmington, passed away Monday afternoon, February 17, 2020 at the Artis Center in Mason, Ohio.  He was born in Fayette, Iowa on September 28, 1921 to Claude and Florence Holmes.  He had one younger brother, Robert, who preceded him in death.  David was married to Jean Stockman for 64 years until her death in 2010.
After graduating from high school, David attended Upper Iowa University where he also became a licensed pilot through the C.A.A. Civilian Pilot Training Program.  He worked as a flight instructor until his induction into the Army Air Corps in 1944.  During World War II, David was a pilot in the Air Transport Command from 1944 to 1946, serving overseas in the China Burma India Theatre, known as “The Hump”.  Upon return from his service in the military, he attended Iowa State University and graduated in 1950 with a degree in meteorology.
David married Jean Stockman in 1946 and they lived in Iowa until his graduation from Iowa State University.  Following graduation he served five years in the US Weather Bureau at Wichita, Kansas.  He then was a director at the weather station at Dodge City, Kansas in 1955 until his appointment to the headquarters of the Weather Bureau in Washington DC.  In 1958 he was assigned to the Federal Aviation Administration and later the Weather Satellite section of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Systems.  He traveled to foreign countries leading an international program for countries with simple receiving systems to obtain pictures of weather from satellites.  During his tenure in the Weather Bureau he was instrumental in securing funding to establish the Doppler Radar System.  He was awarded a Silver Medal from the US Department of Commerce for his efforts in implementing 61 National Weather Service local warning radar systems.  At retirement,  he was the sounding systems branch acting chief data systems division.
After retirement in 1983, David and Jean moved to Wilmington, Ohio to be closer to their children.  He was active in the Masonic Lodge, Kiwanis, YMCA, Clinton County Historical Society, Clinton County Radio Club and the Wilmington United Methodist Church.
David has two daughters, Judy (Chris) Mills and Liz (Michael) McAllister and four grandchildren, Patrick (Bethany) McAllister, Megan (Andy Custis) McAllister, Gabriel Mills and Brigitta Mills.   Two great grandchildren, Kai and Brody McAllister.
Funeral services will be held on 11:00 AM, Thursday, February 20th at the Wilmington United Methodist Church, 50 East Locust Street at North Walnut Street, WIlmington with Pastor Scott Miller officiating.  Interment will follow at the Sugar Grove Cemetery, Wilmington, where the American Legion Post #49 will accord military honors.  Visitation will be held at the church from 10:00 to 11:00 with a Masonic Service following.   The Fisher-Edgington Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.  Memorial contributions can be made in David’s name to the Wilmington Methodist Church or Queen City Hospice.