by Linda Ledger
We are sad to report the passing of Bill Holmes, a long time Sierra Club member and leader. Bills died peacefully at home accompanied by close family members and his longtime companion, Sandra. I was fortunate to visit the day before his death. Even though heavily sedated, he was still the very upbeat English gentleman many of us
knew. He thanked me for stopping by and mentioned some crossword puzzles he had finished but we hadn’t compared yet. He left me smiling but with tears in my eyes. Some of you will remember Bill from his years as Chair of the Sierra Club’s Friends of the Foothills Task Force. Bill and many others on the task force were instrumental in thwarting the Transportation Corridor Agency’s proposed Foothill South Toll Road. If approved, this Toll Road would have destroyed a large part of San Onofre State Beach and Campground, the world-renowned Trestles surfing beach, and some pristine watershed. The road would have cut through the Donna O’Neill Nature Conservancy and adversely impacted at least 5 endangered species. Bill will be remembered for his leadership, energy, and enthusiasm. He loved pushing himself by running, hiking, and backpacking. There came a time when he could no longer run races, so he switched to race walking. When walking became too difficult, he cheerfully started using an exercise bike. Eventually he was using an electric scooter to get around his home and yard. Through it all he neither complained nor lost his love of life, friends, and family. Bill will be deeply missed but remembered fondly by those who knew him.
Bill loved geology and our natural environment. He spent many happy years hiking and exploring the world around him with the Sierra Club. He also devoted countless hours to working with the Orange County and Los Angeles chapters to protect the environment in southern California. He was awarded several plaques in recognition of his efforts including the Bev Full award for lifetime service to the Sierra Club.
Bill’s family has created the Bill Holmes Memorial Sierra Club Fund to allow us to honor his memory and his work for the club with a donation. When you contribute to the fund, you may also wish to leave a message to let the family know why you remember and honor him.