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Marvin Woodrow “Spud” Holyfield

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Marvin Woodrow “Spud” Holyfield

Birth	:	26 Sep 1922 Surry County, North Carolina, USA
Death	:	21 Dec 2016 Palmer, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, USA
Burial	:	Rock Hill Baptist Church Cemetery, Black Water, Surry County, USA
Coordinate	:	36.3756104, -80.6174698
Description	:	M.W. "Spud" Holyfield, died on Dec. 21, 2016, with family at his side, in hospice, at the Alaska Veterans and Pioneer's Home in Palmer, Alaska, at 94 years of age. A memorial service will be held at the Evergreen Memorial Chapel, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016. A viewing will start at 11 a.m., with the Service at noon, and fellowship to follow at 1 p.m., at 737 E Street, Anchorage, AK 99501. Spud was born in Surry County, N.C., on Sept. 26, 1922, and raised in a one-room cabin, where he worked on the family tobacco farm until he... Read More	M.W. "Spud" Holyfield, died on Dec. 21, 2016, with family at his side, in hospice, at the Alaska Veterans and Pioneer's Home in Palmer, Alaska, at 94 years of age. A memorial service will be held at the Evergreen Memorial Chapel, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016. A viewing will start at 11 a.m., with the Service at noon, and fellowship to follow at 1 p.m., at 737 E Street, Anchorage, AK 99501. Spud was born in Surry County, N.C., on Sept. 26, 1922, and raised in a one-room cabin, where he worked on the family tobacco farm until he "won the draw" drawing straws to see which of the brothers would enlist in the military to fight in World War II. He enlisted in the Army, seeing battle in both North Africa and Italy, escorting convoys as a member of the motorcycle corps. Upon returning stateside after the war, Spud re-enlisted and came to Alaska with the ACS in 1948. He and his crews set new telephone lines, where "no man had trod before" throughout Alaska to the Canadian border, maintaining those lines day and night, to assure communications in the most remote areas of Alaska. Spud met his wife, Betty when she was teaching school in Northway. They married in 1955 and were partners in life until she passed in 2008. Upon retiring from the military, Spud worked for the civil service supporting the Whittier to Anchorage Pipeline, retiring as the terminal foreman for the Whittier terminal, where ships offloaded the various grades of fuel, to be mixed and pumped throughout Alaska, in support of military operations. M.W. "Spud" Holyfield was dedicated to a life of service, to his country, his family, his neighbors, and friends. He was an inspirational leader, who used humor and a deep understanding of people to motivate others to surpass their own expectations of themselves and those who worked with them. He used this leadership to great effect to break records setting telephone poles and lines in some of the most inhospitable terrain on the planet, as well as the need to mediate the many issues that could arise between the harbormaster in Whittier, the Alaska Railroad, the City of Whittier, and the pipeline. Whittier used to only be accessible via train through tunnels cut through two separate mountains, floatplane or boat. In weeks when the train did not run, to spend the weekend with his family, Spud would walk the train tunnels through the mountains in the dark, and wade the runoff from the Portage glacier, to be picked up by the family on the Portage side, to be driven to Anchorage. He would help clean the house and enjoyed giving cooking lessons to his daughters, helping prepare meals for the week, then on Sunday, would be driven back to Portage to start his trek back to Whittier. Spud was a formidable bowler, partnering with his long-standing bowling partner, and a wonderful neighbor, never hesitating to mow the lawn or shovel the driveways of those who were deployed or physically unable to do so. He opened his home and cared for his mother-in-law, in her final days, and nursed and cared for his wife, before her death in 2008. Spud is survived by his daughters: Lee Holyfield Bale of Illinois and Marleena Holyfield Huckaba of Tallahassee, Fla.; his son, Clay Holyfield of Burlington, N.C.; his grandson, Quinn Holyfield Huckaba of Tallahassee, Fla.; and his sister, Hattie Forbes, of Newington, Va. He was much beloved by his nurses and caregivers. Everyone left his bedside with a good laugh, feeling better about themselves, and the difference they made to the lives of others. He will be sorely missed. (Anchorage Daily News (AK) ~ December 28, 2016)

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Marvin Woodrow “Spud” Holyfield's memorial?
Marvin Woodrow “Spud” Holyfield's memorial is located at: Rock Hill Baptist Church Cemetery, Black Water, Surry County, USA.
When did Marvin Woodrow “Spud” Holyfield death?
Marvin Woodrow “Spud” Holyfield death on 21 Dec 2016 in Palmer, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Marvin Woodrow “Spud” Holyfield's memorial?
Latitude: 36.3756104
Longitude: -80.6174698

Family Members:

Parent

Richard Early Holyfield

(1889 - 1966)

Letha M Logan Holyfield

(1894 - 1969)

Spouse

Bettyella “Betty” Lefiles Holyfield

(1928 - 2008)

Siblings

Margie Elizabeth Holyfield Parks

(1918 - 1979)

Henry Wade Holyfield

(1920 - 1971)

Claude E Holyfield

(1929 - 1931)

Jesse Wayne Holyfield

(1934 - 1951)

Children

Clay E. Holyfield

(1963 - 2021)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Rock Hill Baptist Church Cemetery
Black Water, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3756104, -80.6174698

2. Buelin Cemetery
Ararat, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3735220, -80.6144520

3. New Beginning Baptist Church Cemetery
Black Water, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3739930, -80.6229330

4. Bowman Family Cemetery
Ararat, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3734436, -80.6265259

5. Wall Cemetery
Ararat, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3670560, -80.6150560

6. Union Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
Black Water, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3821983, -80.6282425

7. Lewis Jones Key Family Cemetery
Dobson, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3762400, -80.6342900

8. Portis Family Cemetery
Ararat, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3742500, -80.5957220

9. Harbour Family Cemetery
Dobson, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3602530, -80.6352700

10. Blackwater United Methodist Church Cemetery
Black Water, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3976220, -80.6236920

11. Jesus' Church Of Corinth Cemetery
Level Cross, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3514550, -80.6177870

12. Solid Rock Bible Believing Baptist Church Cemetery
Ararat, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3605003, -80.6411362

13. Community Church Cemetery
Black Water, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3986300, -80.6312750

14. The Community Church Cemetery
Mount Airy, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3986860, -80.6312360

15. Wolff Family Cemetery
Ararat, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3584444, -80.6416389

16. Key Cemetery
Ararat, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3795770, -80.5825170

17. Hardy Family Cemetery
Level Cross, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3456800, -80.6238300

18. Dennis Family Cemetery
Siloam, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3531700, -80.5906700

19. Blackwater Community Church Cemetery
Black Water, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.4019720, -80.6393330

20. Level Cross United Methodist Church Cemetery
Level Cross, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3450000, -80.6288610

21. Johnson and Potts Cemetery
Ararat, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3650000, -80.5796700

22. Bryant-Simpson Cemetery
Eldora Township, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3991900, -80.5871100

23. Pine Hill Cemetery
Pine Hill, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3495560, -80.5889969

24. New Home Church of Christ Cemetery
Dobson, Surry County, USA
Coordinate: 36.3625800, -80.6583480