Don Howard Holt Jr was born September 20, 1927 at the Elisabeth Bard Hospital, to Don R. and Louise Holt, a family deeply anchored in Ventura County. He was raised on Dalton Street, attended St Catherine’s Academy and graduated from Ventura High School. His father was Deputy District Attorney and Chief Trial Deputy, his grandfather was the first Collector of Internal Revenue for Ventura, Kern and Santa Barbara Counties.
Don H. Holt, Jr. ran a successful law practice for over 47 years, trying over 4000 divorce cases and his cases included celebrities, movie starlets and notable for the first televised case, “The Crash Corrigan Actor Divorce”. Don would recall stories from his trials and tribulations, including winning a huge Santa Barbara/Ventura Oil Spill case that reached a $6 million settlement, the first such verdict against a major oil company in Ventura County, or the time a hit-man’s gun misfired, who was sent by an angry defendent to off him for a case he tried.
Don attended and graduated from Arizona University with Distinction and Class Honors. He was accepted into one of the very first law school classes at UCLA School of Law in 1950 and graduated as one of the top students. He was a long time member of the American Bar Association, the American Judicature Society and the California Trial Lawyers. He was President of the Ventura County Bar Association in 1967 and served on the Board for six years.
As a young boy Don learned to hunt, ride horses and ranching. Don was an excellent marksman, enjoyed hunting and fishing throughout his lifetime. He passed away peacefully in his sleep after a long illness in the ranch house he built on Holt Ranch.
He was a beloved grandfather to six grandchildren, Kyrstin, Paige, Graydon, Benjamin, Rowan and Ava. He is survived by his three sons and their wives, Don Holt, Jr. (Chip) and Nancy, Steven and Karen, and Thomas and Carol Holt. His constant jokes, sense of humor and stories from the old days will be missed.
Family and Friends are invited to visiting hours Wednesday evening from 5 - 7PM in the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, 757 E. Main Street Ventura. Graveside Funeral Services will be held on Thursday October 9, 2014 at 11AM in Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, Ventura.