| ||||||
He was born Sept. 11, 1938, in Port Huron, Mich., to Richard Watkins and Estella Mahon Holt. After the untimely death of his father when he was 3, he moved with his mother and sister to Carmel. There he made many longtime friends, including Robin Burnham, whom he would re-meet after college and marry in 1962.
Dick joined the Naval Reserve in high school. Through a competitive exam, he received an appointment to the Naval Academy, graduating in 1961 with a BS degree in marine engineering.
Dick served on four ships, culminating with the USS Enterprise nuclear aircraft carrier in Alameda. He was pleased to be selected for one of the earliest classes of the Navy's Destroyer School in Newport, R.I. Along the way he earned a master's degree in human resources management from Pepperdine University. He retired with the rank of lieutenant commander.
In civilian life, Dick used his engineering and management skills at Kaiser Steel. After that, he worked in both commercial and residential real estate as a broker.
Committed to improving his surroundings and helping others, Dick was involved in community causes including his children's schools, coaching youth sports, driving for Meals on Wheels, and serving on the boards of several non-profits. He served on the City of Lafayette's Planning Commission (for 25 years) twice as its chairman, and on the city Environmental Task Force.
Dick was an active Rotarian for 31 years, including a term as president. He helped found and organize the annual Concert at the Res at the Lafayette Reservoir to benefit music programs in the schools and spearheaded Rotary's collaboration with the Lafayette Community Foundation to build a permanent stage in the Reservoir in 2012.
As a result of many years devoted to the community, he and his wife, Robin, were jointly named Lafayette Citizens of the Year in 2017.
Dick loved sharing good conversation and laughter with family and friends. He was known for bringing out piles of sweaters for everyone once the evening chill set in on the patio. He planned a bicycle trek through the Netherlands and Belgium when his children were in their 20s and had fun building playhouses, stores, and puppet theaters out of cardboard boxes with his grandchildren. He loved running, sailing, singing, playing the guitar, and costume parties. He always wore his tuxedo on New Year's Eve. Dick and Robin maintained a second home in Carmel, and he always said he was going to come back someday as a dog on the Carmel beach.
He was devoted to his family: soulmate of nearly 60 years, Robin, daughter Stannie of San Mateo, Calif., recently deceased son Tyler (Anne) of Bethesda, Md., son Spencer (Karen) of San Diego, and four grandchildren, Lilly, Daniel, Gavin, and Colin Holt. He also will be missed by his sister Sally Holt Jett, and many in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 22, at 4 p.m. at the Lafayette Veterans' Building. Donations may be sent to: Lafayette Community Foundation, www.lafayettecf.org or the Cancer Support Community, www.cancersupport.net/donate.
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA