James Russel Holder, Jr.
To friends and family he was known at, Rusty.
Rusty passed away peacefully on September 27, 2017 at Kindred Hospital in Seattle with his family by his side. He fought a long and hard battle.
He was bon on May 21, 1945 to James Russel Holder, SR. and Joan Marion (Bowman) Holder in Seattle. Rusty grew up in Hobart, moving to Maple Valley later. He graduated from Tahoma High School in 1963.
He worked various jobs as a laborer, teamster and owning Issaquah Septic for a while before moving to Whidbey Island to work for Stonebridge Construction.
In Dec. 1975, during the big flood, he met his wife Crystal while sand bagging on the Cedar River.
In 1979, while living on Whidbey Island he married Crystal and in 1986 they moved back to Hobart where they bought their first home in 1988. Rusty loved living in Hobart.
Rusty went to work for Flintstone Sand & Gravel (Now Cadman). He then worked for mine at Pacific Coal Company a mine before working for Palmer Coking Coal. He retired from Palmer Coking Coal in 2005.
After retirement he loved his annual elk hunting trips to Lake Quinault and his Reno and Mexico trips. He enjoyed his granddaughter’s first birthday in Maui and loved it.
He is survived by his wife, Crystal; mother, Joan; son, Michael (Rachel); daughter Michele (Todd); granddaughter, Ainsley and his sisters Joan (Gary) and Kaycee (Gary); brother Gordon (Maxine) and lots of nieces and nephews that are too numerous to name.
His celebration of life will be held on December 2, 2017 at 2 p.m. at the Maple Valley Senior Center, 22010 SE 248th Street, Maple Valley, WA 98038
Donations may be made to the Maple Valley Historical Society, PO Box 123, Maple Valley, WA 98038.
