Roll Call Tribute

Published in Bozeman (MT) Daily Chronicle on Aug. 21, 2016

Paul Holcomb Jr.
After a short illness, Dr. Paul Holcomb Jr., DVM ("Bud") of Bozeman, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016. He was 89 years old and cared for at the end by his family and Rocky Mountain Hospice.

He was born Nov. 24, 1926, in McKinney, Texas, to Paul N. and Sallie B. (Couch) Holcomb. His mother was a teacher, and they lived in Nacogdoches and Mt. Enterprise, Texas before moving to McKinney again in 1939. Over the years, he recalled many childhood memories, such enjoying Goodart's red peanut patty candies, a rare treat in those days; or whenever he got to pal around with his grandfather who called him "Partner". However most of the stories were steeped in humor; these include summertime antics with his sister, "B" and the neighborhood kids, all dressed in bib overalls and barefoot in the hot Texas heat. The stories are unforgettable; for instance, "B", who ruled the neighborhood, once stole his prized crawfish right from under his nose and as she hastily departed, was shot in the behind by Bud's BB gun. He then was unceremoniously relieved of his BB gun by his mother, which he claimed stung even more than losing the crawfish. This and many other amusing stories of his life and times guaranteed a good laugh. It was all in the way he told them, and he had a knack.

During his senior year, Bud enlisted in May 1944 in the Marines, and reported for duty right after graduation. He then served in the Pacific aboard the USS Wasp, an aircraft carrier where he and his platoon manned anti-aircraft guns and fought off attacking enemy planes. They hold the distinction of being the platoon that shot down the very last Kamikaze of World War II. Recently an actual photo of this occurrence was located and presented to him, which delighted him to no end.

As Bud tells it, the best thing that happened in his life took place in 1942, when Nelda's family moved to McKinney while they were attending high school. On May 24, 1945, at the age of 18, they eloped to Oklahoma while he was home on a short leave while the Wasp was in Bremerton, Washington, for repairs. They were apart for about one year while Bud served his country. Upon his honorable discharge in June 1946, he returned to McKinney, where he and Nelda started their family.

After the war, he enrolled and began university at Texas A&M in the Fall of 1947, which was free under the GI Bill. When he earned his degree in Veterinary Medicine in 1952, Bud practiced for a short time before moving his family to Oregon, where he worked as an assistant state veterinarian and in a small animal clinic. In 1954, they moved to Montana, where he worked for the USDA on the Brucellosis Eradication Program. This remained his primary career for 28 years, including 12 years as the state Brucellosis Epidemiologist. He tested cattle in Texas, Oregon, Montana and Alaska, and bison and elk in YNP for 5 years. Bud and Nelda had three more children, and lived in a number of towns across the state, including Shelby, Big Timber and Bozeman. Bud retired in 1982, and both he and Nelda enjoyed relatively good health until recently.

He was a devoted husband and father, and had many talents and skills. These include gunsmithing and oil painting, as well as being an accomplished musician. He played guitar, fiddle and banjo, and played with a group at the Bozeman Senior Center until approximately 10 years ago. He loved all Montana had to offer including hunting, fishing, horseback riding and camping; and he loved cooking wood-fired BBQ for family gatherings, "Texas-Style".

Bud and Nelda were married for 71 years, and had five children. He joins his wife, Nelda, who passed away at home June 26, 2016. Paul is also preceded in death by his son, Jim (Rocky) Holcomb, and daughter Becky Brock. Paul is survived by three daughters: Sandy (Troy) Hall of Bozeman, Jenny (Mike) Dixon of Bozeman, and Tammy (Russell) Barnett of Three Forks; Daughter-in-law Shirley Nale Holcomb of Grand Junction, CO; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. In lieu of a funeral, Paul requested there be a private family gathering to celebrate his life. A very special thank you from the family goes to the staff of Rocky Mountain Hospice, who provided amazing care and compassion to both Bud and Nelda in their final days.