Will Holmes

Will Holmes, 14, of Midland, passed away on Monday, November 22, 2021, in Bandera County, TX. Graveside services will be held on Monday, November 29th, 9:30 a.m. at Fairview Cemetery, 1620 North A. Street, followed by a celebration of Will’s life beginning at 10:15 a.m. at Christ Church Anglican, 5501 North Midkiff Road.

Will was born on November 27, 2006, to Mary Jane and Bill Holmes in Midland, Texas.

Will is survived by his parents, Mary Jane and Bill Holmes of Midland; sisters, Mary Claire and Beth Ann Holmes of Midland; grandparents, Betty Rae and Paul Davis of Midland; grandmother, Barbara Holmes of Lufkin; and his great-aunt and uncle Polly and Ferrell Davis of Midland. On his father’s side: the Ed Haar family, the Curtis Raetz family, and the Clay Buck family. On his mother’s side: the Paul Davis III family, the Jack Harper family, the Dan Hord family, and the Will Abney family. Will is also survived by many loving cousins, and of course, his dear dog, Butterscotch.

Will is preceded in death by his big sister, Louisa; his grandfather, Will S. Holmes; and his dear great-uncle Tom.

We know where Will is now, and here is why:  years ago, when Will was about 7, he was helping clean out the garage. He picked up a 4-way lug nut tire iron and said, “Hey, this looks like the cross that Jesus died on.” Then we sat down and talked about how much God loves him and everyone else in the whole wide world and what Will’s Heavenly Father did by sending Jesus Christ, His one and only Son, to die on that cross for Will’s sins and our sins, and the sins of the whole world. Will understood that and prayed for that forgiveness of his sins so that he would end up in Heaven someday.

As a Believer, Will prayed each night with his family at bedtime, and shared a Josh McDowell devotional each morning with his parents at the breakfast table.  Will has been attending the Shelton School in Dallas since the 5th grade, achieving straight A’s this semester as a student there. Last year as an 8^th grader, Will was the recipient of the Spirit of Shelton Award, and was one of 4 boys nominated for the Adele Wolf Award, which is the highest honor that can be awarded to 8^th grade students who exhibit 100% in leadership, sportsmanship, and citizenship. Will was an aspiring graphic designer, a member of the award-winning Shelton Drumline and a caring friend to all.  Will loved playing Minecraft with his friends, challenging his friends and family to games on his Switch, and games of Rummikub and Uno around the card table. Will was wicked awesome on a wakeboard and surfboard on the lake. He had an imagination as big as all outdoors and was quite the joke teller…as he once said at the dinner table, “Man, I have a million of ‘em.”  Will is in Heaven, and we will see him again one day, it just won’t be today, and therein lies the hard part for those of us temporarily left behind.  The Holmes family has a deep bench of family and friends, and we are grateful for your prayers and support. We pray God’s richest blessings and His divine favor on you all.

In lieu of flowers, the Holmes family gratefully requests that memorials be donated to the Will Holmes Bible Bank or the Will Holmes Scholarship Fund, or any charity of your choice. To donate to the Will Holmes Bible Bank within the Vietnamese Bible Inc., please mail checks to P.O. Box 61 Midland, TX 79702. To donate to the Will Holmes Scholarship Fund please mail checks to Shelton School at 17301 Preston Rd Dallas TX, 75252 or online at Shelton.org using the link listed on the website.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory. Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.