William McPhail Holt Jr

William McPhail “Bill” Holt Jr, 91, of Sanford, passed away Thursday, April 12, 2018. A Memorial service will be held at 3:00pm Saturday, April 14 at The Jonesboro Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Holt, a lifetime resident of Lee County was born in Jonesboro, NC. He was the elder son of the late William McPhail Holt and Bertha Avent Holt. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Katherine Arnold Holt, and his brother, James Avent Holt. After graduating from Jonesboro High School, he served in the United States Army during WWII in the South Pacific. Following his discharge from the Army, he attended The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1949, he returned to Sanford and joined his father in the Holt Supply Company business. Shortly thereafter, the business came known as Holt Truck & Tractor Company. He was active in the family business until it closed in 2003.

Mr. Holt was a member of The Jonesboro Presbyterian Church since 1939, where he served as Deacon, Elder, Chairman of the Pulpit Committee, Sunday School Superintendent, Church Treasurer, Sunday School Teacher for the Men’s Bible Class, and member of numerous other committees over the years.  As a businessman, Bill was active in the community. He was president of the Sanford Jaycees, President of the Sanford Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Industrial Committee, Drive Chairman of the United Way, and Past Exalted Ruler of the Sanford Elks Lodge #1679. In 1951, he joined the Sanford Rotary Club, where he served as President in 1962, received the Rotarian of the Year Award in 1966, a Paul Harris Fellow, and recently recognized as an Honorary Member of the Sanford Rotary Club.

Mr. Holt is survived by his daughter, Sandra Holt Stewart and husband Terry Leigh Stewart of Sanford; son, William M. “Bill” Holt III and wife Kelly Spivey Holt of Sanford; three grandchildren, Hunter Leigh Stewart and wife Nichole Siebach Stewart, and Sterling Katherine Stewart Parker and husband Kelly Glenn Parker, and Katherine McPhail Holt; one sister, Ann Holt Yarborough and husband Carol of Sanford.

The family will greet friends at the Sanford Elks Lodge #1679 Ladies Lounge for a Celebration of Life, following the Memorial service Saturday.

Memorial contributions can be made to the The Jonesboro Presbyterian Church, 2200 Woodland Ave., Sanford, NC 27330; or to Community Home Care & Hospice, 1836 Doctors Dr., Sanford, NC 27330.