BERT HOLT
7/6/33 - 12/4/15
This has been the longest baseball game ever. The 7th inning stretch has come and gone. The 9th inning arrived and he did lose the battle with complications from cancer but he did not lose the game.
He was a husband and best friend to his wife Sue for 60 years, a dedicated Dad to Dave, (Sheila D) Darren, (Loni) Teri and Sheila, (Tom Hiatt). He was Papa to his awesome grandchildren, Rachel (Kyle) Tarp, Brittney Holt, Peter Holt, Stefani (Tim) Rodriquez, Kody Holt, Riley Hiatt, and Brophy Hiatt – and extended grandchildren, Marci Klassen, Lisa Dunnigan and Rusty Ennis –all special people in his life. But, his favorites at the moment are the little people, his great grandchildren – Avery, Kyley, Ava, Maddox, Trent, Destini, Aiden and 3 month old Sawyer. He is also survived by his brother Jack (Connie) and his sister-in-law Helen - his niece Tam and nephews Charlie and Steve. He was preceded in death by his parents Herb and Eleanor Holt and brother Cliff who always made him laugh.
He was born in Chico, Ca – attended school in Greenville, Ca, Fresno State College (University). His coaching/teaching career started at Redwood High, 5 years at Exeter High and in 1965 moved on to College of Sequoias for the next 21 years. He was an asst. football coach and began as the varsity baseball coach in 1968. In 1988 he joined the professional baseball scouting world. 2008 he retired to his next love, golf.
He joined the Kingsburg Golf and Country Club while still scouting. He daily schedule included meeting his great golfing buddies at 7 am and then have a quick lunch and on the road to his baseball world by noon. He said he was the “luckiest man in the world” to be able to do what he had wanted to do all of his life.
His involvements off of the baseball field or golf course included FSU Dugout Club, FSU Hall of Fame selection committee, Calif Junior College Baseball Coaches Assn, American Assn of College Baseball coaches, Exeter City Recreation Advisor, Babe Ruth Advisory board, Coach of the Year (1957 and 1970), Inducted into the California CommunityCollege Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1992, Herb Hippauf Colorado Rockies scouting award (2004) Diamond Club for Exeter Monarch Baseball (2012) College of Sequoias Hall of Fame (2014) and the retirement of his jersey #6.
Laugh and cry with us and remember all of the lives he tried so hard to mold on and off the field. The game has ended, the score will never be known due to his many endeavors in life that made such an impact on so many of us. He would be telling all of us to “bite the bullet”and enjoy our memories of this great man to many.
His “farewell party” will be held at the Visalia Lamplighter Inn,
December 10, 2014 at 1 p.m.