Nov. 19, 2023 – Holmes, Richard Charles
We’re sorry to share the news that former AWNA President Richard Holmes passed away in Provost on November 19th. After a lengthy battle with cancer, Richard passed away peacefully Sunday, November 19 at the Provost Health Centre.
Richard was president of the association in 1996-97. During Richard’s presidency, the board faced both a Revenue Canada challenge and a $6 million lawsuit – which included the individual naming of directors personally, for $500,000 each – by a newspaper company whose newspapers had been suspended from AWNA for refusing to comply with the rules surrounding publication of the blanket classifieds. He took a steadfast position on both counts, and in each of those cases, the AWNA won out in the end.
Rich later served as an AWNA representative on the national (CCNA) board, starting in 2003. He served on many association committees throughout the years, took time to judge newspapers from across Canada for national and provincial competitions, worked on an AWNA history book, while running an independent newspaper that has been in the Holmes family for 94 years, and has published continuously in Provost for 113 years.
Richard served dozens of years on the local Chamber of Commerce and performed the Last Post and Reveille annually on November 11th. He coached junior and senior high schools’ basketball, earned a private pilot’s license, became a certified SCUBA diver, served more than a dozen years on the Provost and District Music Festival Association executive, and was the first president of the Bodo Archaeological Society after a rare archaeological find was discovered 25 miles from town.
Stories of Richard’s zeal in getting the story for his newspaper are legendary. In 1997 he was trampled by a cow at a Christmas pageant in downtown Provost. Rich’s first concern was for someone to get a photo for the paper, which staffer Jeremy Swancoat did as he was put on a stretcher and hauled away in an ambulance. At the hospital it was discovered Rich had four broken ribs but still went to work the next day.
A man of principle, standing up for what he thought was right was one of Rich’s finest traits. He had a diplomatic and thoughtful approach to situations, but stood firm, particularly on matters of importance to him or others. In 1990 he reported on white supremacist demonstrations near Provost and in 1992 gave testimony in a court case against the Aryan Nations. This tense situation gave wife Ruth heartburn, but the crisis eventually passed. Rich’s reporting on the event was recognized by his peers in 1991.
He leaves behind his loving wife, Ruth; their children, Brandi (Dana) Arndt and their children, Anwen & Asher; Brett Holmes (Kim Jewitt) and their son, Ethan; Jill (Blaine) Sherring and their children, Fiona and Quinn; siblings, Georgia (Alfie) Symington, Ron (Karen) Holmes, and Roger (Phyllis) Holmes; brothers and sisters in law, Wayne (Darleene) Skinner, Betty Forster, Linda (Brad) Dallyn, Vern (Loraine) Skinner, and Mel (Mangpor) Skinner; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
Richard was predeceased by his parents, George and Margaret; parents in law, Arvid and Evelin Skinner; infant brother, Rodney; and brother-in-law, Bob Forster.