Obituary of Eleanor Lucille Holmes

Eleanor Holmes, 97, of Sutter County, passed away on June 13, 2009, at her home. Eleanor Lucille was born on January 20, 1912, in Marysville, California, daughter of William Rufus and Mabel Case Burroughs. Her family has a long history in the region. Her grandfather, William Curt Burroughs arrived in Marysville in 1884, and his father, Whitford R. Burroughs arrived in Nevada County in 1849, later moving to Marysville. Eleanor attended Marysville schools and graduated from Marysville Union High School in 1929. She attended Yuba Junior College and after graduation, worked in the junior college library until her marriage in 1936, to Philip A. Holmes of Sutter County. Eleanor and Philip lived in Marysville immediately after their marriage, moving to the Holmes' family home in Sutter County for a time after the birth of their first son, Philip Barry, October 6, 1937. The family lived in a number of northern California towns, including Trinity Center and Oroville, where Mr. Holmes worked on the construction of gold dredgers. Their second son, William Thomas, was born in Marysville, December 9, 1940. As the Country moved into World War II, Mr. Holmes' dredger construction experience was valued in the ship building industry. The family moved to the San Francisco Bay area in late 1941. Mr. Holmes was employed by Keiser-Permanente during the war, where Eleanor christened a Liberty Ship in 1944. After Mr. Holmes' mother's death in 1946, he purchased his sisters' shares of the family home and remaining farm property and moved the family to Sutter County. The residence, which has been the Holmes family home since 1886, is on property formerly the Hock Farm headquarters of John Augustus Sutter's area holdings. Philip raised mainly peaches and cherries, with occasional other crops such as tomatoes and pickling cucumbers. Eleanor operated a fruit stand for many years under a giant oak tree on Garden Highway. Beginning in the late 50's she worked for a number of years for the Yuba County Welfare Department as a case worker. Philip A. developed health problems in the late 70's and the couple sold the farm land while retaining the residence and a small acreage. Until Philip's death in 1983, the couple remained active in local groups such as the Woodland Pinochle Club and the Yuba-Sutter Riding Club. Eleanor was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Philip, her sister Leona and brother William. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Philip and Kathleen Holmes of Colorado Springs, by her son and daughter-in-law, William and Ursula Holmes of Oakland, and by five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at Sierra View Mortuary, 4900 Olive Ave., Olivehurst, on Saturday, June 20, 2009 at 11:00 AM.