Obituaries / LJWorld.com

Obituaries

Funeral services for Laurence G. “Larry” Holuba, 92, Lawrence, will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. Burial will follow at the Oak Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Holuba died on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009, at Pioneer Ridge Retirement Community.
He was born on July 7, 1916 in St. George, the son of Joseph and Jessie Gard Holuba. He grew up in Manhattan and graduated from Manhattan High School.
Mr. Holuba attended Kansas State University before joining the U.S. Army in 1943. Although he had enlisted in the Army, he was later sent to Officers Candidate School at Fort Gordon, Ga. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the European Theater. He was involved in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, with the 4th Infantry Division. He was awarded the Silver Star, June 21, 1944, France; the Bronze Star, July 26, 1944, France, Germany and Luxembourg; and the Purple Heart, June 22, 1944, after being wounded. He was a 1st Lieutenant when he was honorably discharged in December 1945.
Mr. Holuba was a retired rural mail carrier. He had worked for the U.S. Postal Service in Lawrence from the early 1950s until his retirement in 1973. He worked as a funeral assistant at Warren-McElwain Mortuary from 1974-1985. He had moved to Lawrence following World War II to work for Montgomery Ward’s.
Mr. Holuba was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church and the National Association of Retired Federal Employees. For many years he was an avid reader, golfer, wood craftsman, traveler and fisherman. He had also volunteered for several years as an escort at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
He married Mabel Cobb on Feb. 8, 1943, in Lawrence. She preceded him in death on Sept. 6, 1998.
Survivors include a sister-in-law and brother-in-law by marriage, along with several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the mortuary.
The family suggests memorials to the Trinity Lutheran Church, sent in care of the mortuary.
Online condolences may be sent at warrenmcelwain. com, subject: Holuba.