Lyle D. Holaway

December 1, 1937 - December 10, 2015

Lyle Douglas Holaway, Son of Cliff and Clara Holaway, was born in Grant, NE on December 1, 1937. He was the youngest of four brothers, and was raised in a farming family. He helped with the farming of crops and raising of sheep. He grew up in Grant and graduated from Perkins County High School in 1955. He attended the University of Nebraska for one and a half years, then moved to Seattle, Washington, where he worked for Tidewater Oil Company and Boeing Aircraft Corporation. While in Seattle, he married Teresa Stanfield. One son, Anthony, was born to this union. Following the end of his marriage, Lyle moved back to Grant and opened up his own gasoline service station, affectionately called "The Sheep Camp" because his "office" was a genuine sheep wagon used by the Holaway sheepherders. He had only a sheep wagon and some gasoline pumps, but the business grew. He was always proud of having the first 25 cent car wash in Grant and for bringing the first on-the-farm tire truck to Perkins County. On August 12, 1961, Lyle married an Ogallala school teacher, Donice Zimmerman. They purchased Lyle's grandfather's house and all the furniture in it for $5200, and lived in this old house, now over 100 years old, all their married life of 54 years. Lyle and Donice adopted two children, Devon and Brian, in 1966 and 1968. In 1971, their third child, Calli, was born. After selling the service station, he built up a plumbing/excavation business, and installed underground irrigation pipe for farm operations and municipal waterworks in various towns in Nebraska and Colorado. Later in his life, he worked for Kirkpatrick Masonry, and then started a lawn care business and also hauled railroad crews at the same time. He gave up the railroad van service after the lawn care grew to a sizable business. Following the sale of the lawn care business, he worked as a semi truck driver for Malmkar Farms. He really liked working again in the farming business, and was still working at age 77, when he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Of utmost importance in his life was his association with Alcoholics Anonymous, and his compassion for suffering alcoholics. He was known for dropping everything at a moment's notice, or in the middle of the night, to help someone in crisis. Lyle had attended the Grant United Methodist Church for over 27 years. He died in hospice care in Ogallala, NE on December 10, 2015 at age 78. He is survived by his wife, Donice; his son Anthony, wife Cathy, and two grandchildren, Roderick and Tiana of Seattle, WA; his daughter, Devon, and grandchildren Skyler of Sterling CO and Tyson of Ft Collins, CO; his son Brian and wife Melanie, and granddaughter Sage of Ft. Myers, FL; his daughter, Calli, of Franklin, TN; brother-in-law, Leon Zimmerman and wife Carol of Wymore, NE; sister-in-law Sondra Jones and husband Andy of Collyer, KS; sister-in-law Donna Holaway of Grant, NE; many nephews and nieces; other relative and friends. A memorial has been established in Lyle's memory. Condolences may be shared at bullocklongfuneralhome.com, where the services will be streamed live for those unable to attend. Memorial services will be on Monday, December 14, 2015 at 2:00 PM at the Grant United Methodist Church with Rev. Nora Mendyk officiating. Interment of cremains will be in the Grant Fairview Cemetery. Memorial book signing will be on Sunday, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Bullock-Long Funeral Home in Grant.