John Edward Holliday

July 22, 1933 – May 16, 2023

We are sad to announce the passing of John Edward Holliday of St. Charles, Missouri. He died on May 16, 2023, surrounded by family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Vera (Isenhour) Holliday; brother, Jerry Holliday; and brothers-in-law, Jerry Gillum and Frank Roop. He was survived by the love of his life, Marlene (Ammerman) Holliday, son Bill Holliday and daughter-in-law, Denise; daughters Cheri and Vicki Holliday; sisters, Billie Roop and Vera Holliday; grandchildren, Aren Lovin, Brittany Hart, Casey Hart, Emily Hart, Peter Hart, and Shade Roper, as well as six nieces and nephews.

John was born in Elwood, Indiana, on July 22, 1933. He attended Wendell L. Wilke High School where he graduated in 1951. John went on to attain a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, in 1958. Between 1953 – 1954 John served in the U.S. Army where he received the National Defense Ribbon, German Occupation Ribbon, and the Good Conduct Medal.

John married Marlene (Ammerman) Holliday and started a family in 1957. Together they had three children, Bill, Cheri, and Vicki.

His working career began in the aerospace industry, at Lockheed Martin and McDonell Douglas. His employer was not fond of him growing a beard and he was not fond of being told how to live. They parted ways as he began his new business ventures.

John’s impressive entrepreneurship spanned over four decades. During this time, he created and ran many businesses including Citadel Insurance Services, Compucal, Outdoor Skates Unlimited, Mexico Road Mini-Storage, BJDA Homes, and West James Courts. Mexico Road Mini-Storage and BJDA Homes were formed in partnership with his son Bill, who is still running them as his father would have wanted. His most notable and long-standing business was West James Courts. He opened the first racquet club with the help and support of family and friends, adding a second location a few years later. (John ran many of these business ventures at the same time.)

After he and his daughter Cheri took a tennis lesson together in 1972, John was inspired to design and build two recreation clubs which were the first of their kind in the world to house both tennis and racquetball. The business was very successful and endured 42 years until he sold it in 2015. It continues as a thriving tennis and racquetball club today.

During all of this, he was raising a family and encouraging his wife’s education and new teaching career. He always said the love of family and close friends was the most important thing in the world. If you have one true friend in your life you could consider yourself fortunate. But he was blessed with many true lifelong friends, several who were also family.

His daughter, Vicki will remember him best as her first dance partner, the strongest man she knew, and for the wonderful adventures had on family vacations.

Friends, colleagues and family knew him as a hardworking, fun-loving adventurer who always put family and friends first, and he will be greatly missed by many.