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Floyd John Holton, 79, of
Ontario, Ore., died August 16, 1993, in an Ontario nursing
home. Memorial services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at
the Lienkaemper Funeral Chapel in Ontario with Rev. Earl
Traughber of the Fruitland Church of the Brethren and Pastor
Robert Pitts of the Ontario Church of the Nazarene
officiating. A private family graveside service will be held
at Greenleaf, Idaho.
Floyd was born to John and Myrtle Holton on Dec. 12, 1913,
at Gate, Oklahoma. He spent his early childhood years on the
farms in Oklahoma and Colorado, attending school at Union, OK,
and Walsh, CO. In 1934 he moved with his parents to
Greenleaf, Idaho. He married Florence Rinard in 1938. Their
first four years of marriage were spent improving a 120-acre
sagebrush ranch near Homedale. In 1942 they moved to a
160-acre homestead south of Fruitland. Because of the beauty
of the landscaping around their home, it was used by various
government agencies to demonstrate how desert land could be
developed by irrigation. Pictures were sent to Washington,
D.C., and other reclamation offices.
The Holtons left the farm and moved into Fruitland in
1961. Floyd worked as appraiser of property for Payette
County and later for Malheur County in Oregon. Always
interested in community and civic affairs, in 1965 he was
elected to the village council of Fruitland and appointed
chairman of the board. He became the first elected mayor of
Fruitland when it was changed to city status in 1967. He
resigned as mayor in 1971 to live in Ontario because of his
duties working for the Malheur County assessor's office.
In 1967 Floyd was elected assessor of Malheur County,
which office he held until his retirement in 1980.
He was an active member of the Brethren Church for many
years while in Fruitland. After moving to Ontario in later
years he became a member of the First Church of the Nazarene
in Ontario. Both of these churches had a special place in his
life. He spent many years singing bass in church and
community choirs, and especially enjoyed singing in male
quartets in the communities where he lived. After retiring he
enjoyed oil painting and took special pride in his lawn and
flowers.
He is survived by his wife, Florence, of Ontario; one son
and wife, James and Verla of Ontario; one daughter and
husband, Linda and Tom Coates of Boise; four grandchildren,
David Coates and wife Kelly, Jason Holton, Georgie Holton, and
Tinley Vickers and husband Ozzie; three great-grandchildren,
Zachary Coates, and Travis and Shasta Vickers; two brothers,
John of Middleton and Rex of Boise; one sister, Betty McIndoo
of Greenleaf; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents two brothers, and
two sisters.
The family suggest memorials be made to United Cerebral
Palsey, 5530 Emerald, Boise, Presbyterian Community Care
Center, 1035 N. Oregon; or flowers may be sent. |
