New Iberia - Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 at Pellerin Funeral Home Chapel for Thomas C. "Geronimo" Holleman, Jr., 82, who died Sunday, September 10, 2006 in New Iberia.
Interment will be in the Holleman Family Cemetery.
Born on November 17, 1923, in McAlester, Oklahoma, Mr. Holleman is the son of Thomas C. Holleman, Sr. and Angie Dearen Holleman. A graduate of McAlester High School, he attended South Eastern Oklahoma University on a football scholarship. He was then sent to S.L.I., currently University of Louisiana at Lafayette, by the United States Marines, with the V-12 Program during World War II. Mr. Holleman then served in World War II and the Korean Conflict, as a member of the 3rd Battalion 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Regiment, receiving the Bronze Star Medal w/Combat V; Navy Commendation Ribbon w/combat V; Korean Service Medal w/1 star; and the United Nations Service Medal. He is a past Commandant of the McIlhenny Marine Corp. League.
Mr. Holleman was one of the founders of Cardinal Wireline Specialist, in New Iberia, and is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
Survivors include his sons, Thomas C. Holleman, III and his wife Vicki of New Iberia, John Holleman and his wife Betsy, James A. Holleman and his wife Kelly of New Iberia; daughters, Mary Holleman Beaullieu and her husband G.A. "Buster" Beaullieu of New Iberia, Eleanor A. Holleman of Indianapolis, Indiana; grandchildren, Gerald "Beau" Beaullieu IV, Charlie Beaullieu, Paul Beaullieu, Helen Bayard, Thomas Holleman IV, Lindley Holleman, Andrew Holleman, Rebecca Holleman, Robin Boatright, Elizabeth Holleman, John Holleman, Jr. and Lindsay Holleman; great grandchildren, Mary-Alizabeth Beaullieu, Emma T. Beaullieu, Gerald A. Beaullieu V, Thomas L. Beaullieu, Noah T. Bayard, and Kennedy A. Holleman.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas C. Holleman, Sr. and Angie Dearen Holleman, and his wife of 59 years, Eleanor Landry Holleman.
Honored to serve as pallbearers are Gerald A. "Beau" Beaullieu, IV, Charlie D. Beaullieu, Paul H. Beaullieu, Thomas C. Holleman IV, Andrew Holleman, Lindley S. Holleman, and John Holleman.
The family would like to express special thanks to Dr. Agapito Castro, Dr. Carl Ditch, and the ICU staff at Iberia Medical Center.
Visitation will be held at Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Blvd., New Iberia, LA 70562, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 and will continue at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday until time of service.
Memorial donations may be made in his name to any one of the following charitable organizations:
Running Strong For American Indian Youth
2550 Huntington Ave., Ste. 200
Alexandria, VA 22303
Ph. 703-317-9881
www.indianyouth.org
St. Labre Indian School
Tongue River Rd.
Ashland, MT 59004
Ph. 406-784-4500
www.stlabre.org
1st Marine Division Scholarship Fund
410 Pier View Way
Oceanside, CA 92054
Ph. 769-967-8561
www.1stmarinedivisionassociation.org/secure/donationsform.asp
Pellerin Funeral Home of New Iberia is in charge of arrangements.