Michael Lynn Holden was born in La Junta, CO on October 30, 1949. He went to be in the care of his Savior and Lord Jesus Christ on September 4, 2026, one day after celebrating 33 years of marriage to his beloved wife, Irene.

His parents, now deceased, were Charlotte Germaine Holden (Holden) and Wilber Lee Holden. When Michael was 6 months old, his parents moved from La Junta to Scott City KS. His parents lived on a turkey ranch. They moved to Lovelock, NV on the Circle L Ranch for 3 years and back to Scott City, KS, where he continued his education through his sophomore year in high school. While in high school, he played football, basketball, and competed in track. When his sophomore year was finished, his family moved to Hastings, NE, where he finished his junior and senior years. During the summer, he worked on combine crews across Kansas. When he returned home, his mom had enrolled him in Hastings College. After trying college for a semester, he decided to join the Navy in 1969, and headed to San Diego. There he went to Boot Camp and later to Groton, Connecticut where he went to submarine school. He spent the next 13 years qualifying on submarines which included: the USS Quillback SS424, USS FS Key SSBN657, USS James K Polk SSBN645, and USS Groton SSN694.

His travels took him from San Diego, California to Charleston, South Carolina to Key West, Florida to Groton, Connecticut to Holy Lock, Scotland, and Rota Spain. He went by submarine through the Panama Canal to Bremerton, Washington. He completed missile firing tests in Cape Kennedy, Florida, and then back to Rota Spain, where more missile tests were conducted. He qualified as an electronics instructor and taught Iranians in San Diego, CA. He also received training on a new sonar system and became an instructor to teach sonar repair for 3 to 4 years.

He received an honorable discharge after 13 years in the Navy, where he had served most of that time as a sonar tech. He was awarded three good conduct medals.

After the Navy, his job was with McDonald Douglas Astronomies Corp. in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was an instructor to write a course for NATO about missiles.

When an opportunity to work in field service came, he traveled to different Air Force bases, and government contractors to teach the operation and repair of missile test equipment.

Later he got a job with General Dynamics out of San Diego, Ca to repair missile test equipment and from there, another field service job on SAC Air Force Base in Marquette Michigan. He spent over 4 years there and while at that base, he met President Bush and also used his artistic ability to paint a huge mural on 20 x 20‘ doors depicting the Earth with two B52 bombers and a new type missile next to an old type missile. Quite an undertaking!

After Desert Storm was over, the contract with SAC Air Force Base ended so he decided to take a layoff in the Denver Colorado area where his two sons Shawn and Rick Holden lived. His first marriage had ended in divorce. He worked with a cabinet maker there and managed an apartment complex.

After traveling to Montrose, he answered an ad for a stipple artist. Although he had no formal training, because of his self-taught talent, they hired him. He worked for Habitat T-shirt Company for over 6 1/2 years doing stipple wildlife artwork to be printed on T-shirts! That is also where he met the love of his life – Irene Leonard (Helmick) Holden. They were married in 1993 in Montrose at Valley Manor Care Center’s backyard, where Irene was working at that time in the activities department for the elderly. Even though they never had children together, Michael said that Irene was his “anchor” that kept him in Montrose where he resided the rest of his days.

Surviving him, besides his wife, Irene, are his sons Shawn (Kim) Holden, Bentonville, AR; Rick Holden, Blue Hill, NE; and James Nicklin, Nassau, NH. Also, his stepchildren: Amy (Jim) Bollinger of Montrose; Laney Helmick, Paron, AR and deceased stepson Aaron Helmick; his siblings: Patricia (Steve) Consbruck, Dalhart, TX; Douglas (Linda) Holden, Volcano, CA; and Andrew Holden. He also has 11 grandchildren, 9 bonus grandchildren, plus 1 great grandchild

and 10 bonus great grandchildren. He is also survived by 2 aunts, 3 cousins, and many nephews and nieces.

Besides the ocean, Michael’s greatest joy was the mountains! He helped his wife run the family ranch on Fitzpatrick Mesa and also enjoyed plowing snow for CDOT over Cerro Summit and Blue Mesa in the winter months.

He devoted a lot of his time helping Irene with hunting groups and managing cow operations that rented the ranch.

In 2020, he had an accident while welding that caused him to break his neck. He was flown to St. Mary’s Hospital where he had surgery, but was paralyzed from the neck down. He kept telling everyone that “God told me he was going to heal me” and after months of rehab at St. Mary’s, he was able to walk out of the hospital with a walker! God miraculously did heal him, and he was able to enjoy 6 more years! He never regained his strength, but always gave God praise for every day! He truly loved the Lord with all his might! He also showed love and caring for family and friends, and had a grateful attitude for all his blessings.