Died peacefully on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at his home in Washington, DC. A native of Pittsburgh, PA, he simultaneously entered Yale University and the U.S. Navy‘s officers training program in 1942. He served in the Navy throughout World War II, attaining the rank of Lieutenant j.g. After returning to Yale and graduating in the class of 1945W, he spent a year at the University of Lausanne studying French.
In 1949 he joined the newly formed Central Intelligence Agency. In his 32-year career there he served in Brussels, Stockholm, Yaoundé, London and Malta, and was awarded the Career Intelligence Medal.
His major passions throughout his life were sailing and a cappella singing. In 1950 he co-founded The Augmented 8, a men’s a cappella group still active in the Washington area today.
In retirement he became an active volunteer for a variety of causes: Chairman of Friends of Music at the Smithsonian; first Chairman of the Washington Revels; board member of Washington Hospice; and President of the Yale Club of Washington.
He was also a long-time docent at the Washington National Cathedral, and Vice Chairman of the National Cathedral Association.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Nancy Trowbridge Holmes; three children, Brock Holmes of Chevy Chase, MD, Kate Holmes Caldwell of Severna Park, MD and Sarah Holmes Morris of Bethesda, MD; and four grandchildren.
A memorial service w held on Saturday, February 18 at 11 a.m. in the Bethlehem Chapel at the Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave., Washington, DC 20016. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Washington Cathedral or the Alzheimers Association
, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011.
