Holmes

Elmer S. Holmes, 81, of Butler died unexpectedly Wednesday at the Butler Memorial Hospital.

Born Feb. 14, 1925, in Pittsburgh, he was a son of Nelson and Beulah Holmes.

He served in Normandy during World War II as an electrician in the Army-Air Corps and was a 2002 recipient of a certificate of appreciation presented by the French government during a ceremony at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial in Pittsburgh.

He was an active member of American Legion Post 778 in Lyndora and VFW Post 249 in Butler.

Mr. Holmes retired as the chief electrician at the Butler Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

He was a member of St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church.

He and his wife were well known in Butler County as ceramists and held ceramic workshops for more than 30 years. They also worked together on the production of the Butler Ceramic Show and served as judges in a five-state region. He was a former president of the Golden Triangle Ceramic Teachers' Association and was a member of the Pennsylvania Ceramic Teachers' Association.

He also enjoyed boating and fishing and spent many hours enjoying Lake Arthur. He received his greatest enjoyment from spending time with his great-grandchildren and was looking forward to the birth of his fourth great-grandchild, a baby girl.

Surviving are his beloved wife of 60 years, Bertha Ketterer Holmes; two sons and their wives: Gary J. and Cindy Holmes of East Brady and Leonard R. and Marie Holmes of Wilkes-Barre; two grandchildren and their spouses, Melynda and Adam Mohney of Meridian and Heather and Dan Casey of Butler; and three great-grandchildren, Hunter and Libby Casey and Jessica Mohney, all of Butler.

Also surviving are two brothers and a sister.

A brother preceded him in death.

<B>HOLMES — </B>Friends of Elmer S. Holmes, who died Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006, will be received from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>, 201 E. Cunningham St. Funeral services will follow at noon Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. Robert Huber, pastor of the North Street Christian Church, officiating.Cremation services provided by the funeral home.Information also is available at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.