Derek A. Holt

Derek A. Holt, 21, of St. Paul, died Sunday, July 20, 2014, at the Howard County Medical Center in St. Paul, as the result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Christ Lutheran Church in St. Paul. The Rev. Thomas Clark will officiate. Burial will be in the Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the church. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is in charge of the arrangements. Mr. Holt was born on Nov. 8, 1992, at Grand Island, the son of William A. “Bill” and Christal S. (Hawkins) Holt. He is survived by his parents, Bill and Christal Holt of St. Paul; one sister, Brittany Holt of St. Paul; grandparents, Ivan and Joyce Hawkins of Pleasanton and Robert and Marlene Holt of Grand Island; aunts and uncles, Brenda Saltzman of Ravenna, Tye Hawkins and his fiancee, Sylvia Kipp of Holdrege, and Barbara and Roger Dvorak of Wood River; and several cousins. Derek first lived with his family in St. Paul, later moving to a farm north of town. He attended St. Paul Public Schools and was a 2011 graduate of St. Paul High School. He was active in all sports, including football, wrestling, track and baseball. He was a 3 time State qualifier and 2 time State medalist in wrestling for the Wildcats. While in high school he was also a volunteer Huskerland youth wrestling coach and a member of the National Honor Society. For the past three years he had been attending UNK, where he was majoring in history education, with an endorsement in coaching. This past year he was a volunteer wrestling coach at Pleasanton High School and was the Junior High wrestling head coach. Over the years he worked at the St. Paul Swimming Pool and Bomgaars, and was currently working for Kearney Moving/Atlas. He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church where he was baptized and confirmed. Derek enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, golfing and of course, wrestling. He also loved all Husker sports, the Kansas City Royals and the Denver Broncos. He was preceded in death by an uncle, Tim Saltzman; and great-grandparents, Franklin and Mabel Hawkins, Bruce and Myrtle Herman, Arthur and Alma Holt, and William and Evelyn Svoboda. Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.