David D. Holmes

David Douglas Holmes, beloved father, friend, brother, coach, and mentor entered into God’s Kingdom on January 14, 2022. It is fitting that we pay tribute to him, surrounded by family— given that everyone who came to know Dave came to know him as family.

Funeral services will be 1:00 PM Saturday, January 22, 2022 at Hagi & Schultz Funeral Home, Streator. Visitation will be from 10:00 AM until time of service 1:00 PM at the funeral home. Cremation rites will be accorded following the services. Memorial contributions may be made to charity of the donor’s choice.

Dave was born to Thomas Holmes and Lillian (Cassabaum) Holmes on January 17, 1957 in Davenport, Iowa. Growing up Dave’s favorite activities were baseball, making friends, and going into the big city of Saint Louis.

Dave attended Greenville College for his Bachelor’s degree and earned a Master’s from St. Francis University. Before graduating from Greenville College, he joined the men’s professional tennis tour as a tour master and traveled around the world, including Australia, England, Canada, China, and Japan. In his travels, he flew from New York to London on the Concorde, a supersonic airliner that could fly at twice the speed of sound. He met some of the world’s most fascinating leaders such as Barack Obama and even survived the 1979 Tehran, Iran attack. After years of traveling, living in various places such as Paris and Dallas, Dave decided to return home, where he completed his degree and obtained his teacher’s certificate in order to pursue a career in education to which he dedicated more than 40 years of his life.

As Dean and Assistant Basketball Coach at Proviso East High School, Dave’s passion for at-risk youth flourished into a life-long calling. He created deep bonds with the kids he taught, coached, and advised, becoming a father figure to many in the community. There were many days he would make morning house-calls around the neighborhood, use the house keys gifted to him by the family, and shake his students awake to ensure their class attendance. As assistant basketball coach at Proviso, he had a key role on multiple Illinois state championship teams. Dave came to Streator Township High School as Dean of Students and Assistant Principal in 2001. He served as an assistant basketball coach from 2009 until his retirement in 2018, playing a key role in the team’s success and two Regional Championships. One of his greatest joys was being able to spend extended time with his daughter Ariana Joy, who attended Streator High from 2011 to 2015. Ariana was his best friend, princess, partner-in crime, and the joy of his heart. Ariana would often petition her teachers to send her to the Dean’s office, attend sports games with her Daddy, and invite him to her own— even when he got thrown out of games for cheering on his daughter.

Dave was a loyal servant to God, first and foremost, who dedicated his life to others. He was a servant-leader who had an unforgettable impact on his students’ and players’ lives. He consistently and courageously advocated for his students, players, and family, opening the doors of his home to anyone in need, including taking in his nephew, Jeremy McAfee and family friend, William Phillips for some time. Dave did not pull punches with anyone. He told it like it was. He was a loyal friend, a great mentor, truth-teller, story-teller with a gift to make people smile and laugh.

He dedicated much of his free time to hanging out with his children and step-children, whom he loved as his own, playing golf, attending basketball games and seeing his grandchildren. An avid life-long Cardinal’s fan, he would pile his children into his Ford Expedition— affectionately nicknamed “The Beast”-- to make 8-hour round trip treks from Illinois to St. Louis for games with tickets he had purchased the same day.

Dave is predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his daughter, Ariana Holmes; loving friend and co-parent, Dorii Barnes; beloved step-children, Faith Barnes and Jason Barnes; his sisters, Janet Wiley and Phyllis Holmes; two nieces, Candice Wiley and Kaylene Wiley; and his favorite little grandchildren, Jaylon and Leo Barnes and Caleb Whitley.

Now that David has passed into the arms of our Lord, we should remind ourselves that while this is the end of David’s physical life as we know it, it’s the beginning of an eternal and beautiful journey for him. Dave loved sharing the love and warmth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, with as many people as possible. Now Dave gets to live in the light and warmth that he was able to display all those who came into his presence. Dave often mentioned he was more proud of his family than anything else in the world. We are grateful for this chance to declare to the world how proud we are of him. Well done, good and faithful servant. Welcome home.