Memorial service for The Reverend (Colonel) (Retired) James P. Holley will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, September 8, 2017 at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church with The Reverend Shelley Forrester, Rector, officiating.

Interment with full military honors will follow in Post Cemetery, Fort Sill, under direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

The Reverend (Colonel) (Retired) James P. Holley, age 86, Lawton, died Monday, September 4, 2017 in Lawton. He was born August 4, 1931 in Washington, DC to Col (Ret) then 2nd LT James E. and Constance H. Holley. He married Sonja M. White on July 3, 1960 at Fort Sill, OK. He graduated from Lawton High School in 1949 and The Virginia Military Institute in 1953. He received a Master of Science degree from Shippensburg State College, Shippensburg, PA and studied for a Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Seminary, Newburgh, IN. Col Holley served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard and the U.S. Army for a combined number of over 31 years before retiring in 1983. His service included assignments in Germany, Korea, and Vietnam, and a variety of assignments in the United States. His combat tours include Korea and Vietnam. He was a graduate of the Field Artillery Basic Officers, Battery Officers and Advanced Officers Courses, the Command and General Staff Course, and the U.S. Army War College. His command assignments include both battalion and brigade commands. Col. Holley received numerous awards and decorations for both peace and wartime service, to include the Legion of Merit, U.S. and the Republic of Korea; Bronze Star Medal; Meritorious Service Medal, 2 OLC; Air Medal; Army Commendation Medal; and numerous service and campaign ribbons from the United States, Republic of Vietnam, and Republic of Korea, to include Presidential Unit Citation.

After retirement he was employed by the University of Oklahoma and the City of Lawton. He was ordained in the Episcopal Church in June 1988 and was chaplain for the Hospice of Lawton Area for eleven and half years. He also served as an on-call chaplain and member of the ethics committee for both Comanche County Memorial Hospital and Southwestern Medical Center for many years.

Survivors include his wife, of the home; his daughter, Therese Love Raney, Lawton; two sons and daughters-in-law, Ross E. and Lisa A. Holley, Hereford, Arizona and James P. Holley, II and Leia, Bonner Springs, Kansas; seven grandchildren, James M. Raney, Heather H. D'Amico, Michael J. Raney, Samara S. Holley, Benjamin P. Holley, James P. Holley, III and Sean P. Holley; four great grandchildren; and his brother COL (Retired) Richard H. Holley, Virginia.

His parents and a brother, Robert C. Holley, preceded him in death.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Endowment Fund St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 1313 SW D Avenue, Lawton OK 73501.