Celebrating A Southampton Citizen's Centennial, With Cards And Praise

Some of Southampton’s youngest residents, pre-K students at Tuckahoe School, took crayons and markers in hand this week, making birthday cards to honor one of Southampton Village’s oldest residents. On January 17, John Holden, up until recently a lifelong resident of Southampton Village, will turn 100 years old.

Students at the school, working remotely this week, made a point of remembering the World War II veteran who, according to Principal Arlette Sicari, visited pre-K and kindergarten classes every year on Flag Day to teach the children how to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Along with School Board member and fellow American Legionnaire Bob Grisnik, the principal recounted, Mr. Holden also attended the school’s graduation ceremonies every year to give two graduating eighth graders the American Legion award. The award is given to students who have demonstrated good citizenship.

His citizenship is a trait longtime neighbor and local Justice Barbara Wilson pointed to as she discussed “this wonderful Southampton Village and founding business owner who served his nation so proudly.”

Now living in Lake Ronkonkoma with Bernice, his wife of 73 years, Mr. Holden was born at home on Hill Street in Southampton on January 17, 1921. His parents were Mary Burling and Lester Holden, and they raised him with siblings Beth, Nancy and Jimmy. His grandfather, George Burling, founded both The Southampton Press and the East Hampton Star during the 1800s.

A Southampton High School alumnus, he graduated from Cornell University with a degree in civil engineering in 1943. He worked at Holden’s Stationary before enlisting to serve the country in World War II. In the U.S. Army, he was stationed in England and France, toiling as a cartographer.

He married Bernice when he returned home from the war. They raised three children — Mary, Lester and George. The couple and their decades-long love story were featured in The Southampton Press in its 2014 Valentine’s Day edition.

It was what captivated Justice Wilson, too. She shared memories of seeing the couple “always sitting on their porch holding hands.” A neighbor for nearly 20 years after moving into her grandmother’s house, Justice Wilson recalled bringing her daughter to the Holden house to trick-or-treat on Halloween and how nice it would be to see a couple in their 70s and 80s still so much in love. “They were all about family and loving and caring for one another.”

But Mr. Holden was also about the community. Justice Wilson recalled speaking with him about the Hurricane of 1938 and how he helped relocate stranded residents. After returning home from World War II, she said, “he founded a business that employs people to this day.”

His son, Lester, explained, “After WWII he returned to Southampton and began a career in land surveying with Theodore F. Squires and became a partner in the early 1960s forming Squires and Holden Land Surveyors. He remained as owner until the early 1980s. He stayed on as a consultant for Squires, Holden, Weisenbacher and Smith, still working daily into his 90s.”

For decades, Mr. Holden was considered by many to be the local expert concerning properties in Southampton Town and was always willing to share his knowledge in that regard, his son related. He also served time as the Southampton Village and North Haven Village engineer.

Mr. Holden volunteered his time for local organizations such as the Boy Scouts, and was a member and past president of the Southampton Rotary Club, a board member of Rogers Memorial Library, the VFW, American Legion, Southampton Fresh Air Home and First Presbyterian Church of Southampton.

For more than 50 years he was in charge of removing and replacing new American flags on all war veterans’ graves at local cemeteries on Veterans Day and Memorial Day. “I’ve never seen a Memorial Day parade or a Veterans Day parade without John there,” Justice Wilson recounted.

Their work together with the American Legion formed a decades-long bond between Mr. Holden and Mr. Grisnik. Speak to Mr. Grisnik about his friend and one hears a litany of praise and awe for a man he simply calls “a friend of mine.”

Mr. Holden joined the American Legion upon returning from World War II and remained very active “up until two weeks ago when he went into assisted living,” said Mr. Grisnik, who is the Legion commander. Mr. Holden served as the adjutant, secretary, treasurer and, his friend said, “everything else.”

“At 99, he was still doing everything he did 40 years ago,” Mr. Grisnik added.

Mr. Grisnik, the proprietor of Southrifty Drugs on Jagger Lane, has created a box there for community members to fill with birthday cards. According to Mr. Holden’s daughter, Mary Maran, there’s another box at the First Presbyterian Church where a card drive is underway.

Cards may also be dropped off at Village Hall, where Mayor Jesse Warren had this to say about his one-time Elm Street neighbor: “We are so grateful not only for his service to our nation as a World War II veteran, but his continued role as a pillar in our village community. Mr. Holden has dedicated himself to our community — always lending a helping hand to local schools and engaging with our veterans. Mr. Holden encompasses all the best qualities of a truly great citizen; he has integrity, dignity, and a generous spirit.”