Devoted Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great Grandfather, WWII Veteran, Engineer, Educator, Deacon, and Executive, Robert Holbrook, 99, of Lexington, Kentucky, was welcomed into his Holy Father’s loving arms on June 4, 2025, just moments before the commencement of the funeral service for his beloved wife of 68 years, Evelyn.
He was born on May 2,1926, in Carter County, Kentucky, to Walter and Leaon Holbrook. He graduated High School in January 1944 and enrolled in the University of Kentucky’s spring semester. After one semester of college, he received a letter from the President of the United States “inviting” him to report to Olive Hill’s local draft board at 5:15 am on August 2, 1944, for training leading to service on the land or naval forces of the United States.
During his 2-year naval career, 1944 –1946, SC3c Robert (Bob) Holbrook served aboard USS LST-621 in the Asiatic Pacific Campaign. His Naval awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, American Campaign Medal with 2 stars, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and the Philippine Liberation Medal.
Upon discharge from the military, Bob returned to the University of Kentucky in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. With only one semester remaining, he returned to Olive Hill, in 1951, to assist in the family hardware store, where he met the lovely and talented Evelyn Eloise Rice. After 3 years in the hardware business, Bob earned his BSME from the University of Kentucky in 1954. He worked in construction at the Atomic Energy Plant in Waverly, Ohio, then joined the Corps of Engineers, Huntington, West Virginia in 1955, before landing an engineering position at Lockheed Aircraft, Burbank, California in 1956.
Bob returned to Kentucky for Christmas, 1956, and wed the love of his life, Evelyn Eloise Rice on January 5,1957 at Barrett’s Creek Baptist Church in Grayson. Although they began what would become 68 years of marriage in sunny Southern California, it did not take long for the allure of the Bluegrass State to beckon them homeward, returning to Kentucky for good in 1957.
In 1958, Bob began a new career as an Educator, teaching Math at Boyd County High School in Cannonsburg, Kentucky. In 1959, he relocated his small but growing family to Lexington and began teaching Mathematics and Physics at Bryan Station High School. After obtaining a master’s degree from Morehead State University in 1965, he returned to a more engineering-focused career pursuit as the Head of Division of Maintenance for the Fayette County School system in 1966. He retired from the school system in 1991 and began volunteer pursuits to the benefit of the University of Kentucky as well as a succession of Southern Baptist Churches.
Bob and Evelyn had four children between July 1958, and March 1968: Flint, Eloise(deceased), Zane, and Faith. He was a devoted husband and father, teaching, training, and guiding each child, while working to provide for the family and build his career. They loved and enjoyed eleven grandchildren: Flint and Nathan Holbrook, Philip, Daniel, Thomas, and Elaina Cravens, Hannah, Hunter, Heath, Hayden, and Halle Holbrook. Bob was always happy to include and instruct a grandchild in whatever household repair or landscaping task was required around the house, but perhaps most enjoyed educating them during the many Shockey Tours of historic sites that he and Evelyn took the grandchildren on while the children were out of school.
Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn Holbrook, his parents- Walter and Leaon Holbrook, a brother-Walter Duval Holbrook, a daughter- Eloise Holbrook, and a grandchild- Philip Cravens. He is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Flint and Beverly Holbrook and Zane and Latrell Holbrook, a daughter and son-in-law, Faith and John Cravens, ten grandchildren, Flint (Jade), Nathan (Lauren) Holbrook, Hannah (Gerald) Gangaram, Hunter (Mindy), Heath (Heather), Hayden and Halle Holbrook, Daniel (Taylor), Thomas, and Elaina Cravens, and six great grandchildren, Addison, Maddie, Johnny, Harrison, and Harlan Holbrook and Jonah Cravens .
Funeral Services for Robert Holbrook will be held at 1:00 pm on Friday, June 20, 2025, at Heritage Baptist Church, 4369 Lexington Road, Winchester, KY 40391. Visitation will begin at 11:00 am and extend until the hour of service. Following the service, a procession to Lexington Cemetery, 833 West Main Street, Lexington, Kentucky, will be followed by interment with Military Honors. Friends and family wishing to celebrate the full life of Robert Allen Holbrook are encouraged to make contributions in his honor to Heritage Baptist Church, Winchester, Kentucky. Rolan G Taylor Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
