MARTIN COUNTY — Former Martin County Commissioner John William Holt Jr., who helped create the original Martin County Comprehensive Land Use Plan, died Monday at Treasure Coast Hospice. He was 79.

“He had been ill for some time,” said his wife of 57 years, Evelyn. “His heart just gave out.”

Born in Pahokee, Dec. 15, 1929, the son of John W. Holt Sr. and his wife, Hosea, Holt grew up on a ranch in western Martin County. His brother was former Martin County Sheriff Jim Holt. Like his father and brother, Holt was a rancher.

During his tenure on the County Commission, he helped plan the Martin County Jail and the former Martin County Sheriff’s Office, which are known as the Holt Law Enforcement Center, honoring the two brothers.

Like his brother, Holt was also in law enforcement, first as a deputy sheriff under Sheriff Roy Baker, then as a constable covering western Martin County from Indiantown. A constable was a law enforcement officer working under a justice of the peace and had many of the powers of a deputy sheriff.

“I am sorry to hear of John’s death,” said former Martin County Commissioner Tom Kenny, who lost to Holt in the 1976 commission race. “He got a solid vote in Indiantown and that beat me.”

Kenny later moved to Hobe Sound and was elected to the commission.

“John was gracious enough to name me to the planning and zoning board after the election,” said Kenny. “We worked on the first comprehensive plan together.”

Elected four years later, Kenny served with Holt on the commission for one term.

“You know,” said Kenny, “I’ll bet he is the last commissioner who actually could sit a horse.”

Former Martin County Commissioner Maggy Hurchalla is the only other living county commissioner to serve with Holt.

“All of us who knew him will miss him,” Hurchalla said. “He was a real gentleman.”

His wife said he was most post proud of his elected public service.

“John was proud of his service on the County Commission,” she said.

As a commissioner, Holt was involved in the planning of the current County Jail and the former Martin County Sheriff’s Office, but he had lost a bitter election to Mary Dawson in 1988 before it was completed.

In addition to serving on the commission, Holt was captain of his brother’s posse, citizens deputized to assist law enforcement in pursuits of various law breakers and to patrol the ranches and groves of the county.

He is survived by his wife, Evelyn; son, David Holt; daughter Ruth Ann Holt; five granddaughters, one grandson, and five great grandchildren.

Service for Commisssioner Holt

Visitation will be 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, at Bass Okeechobee Chapel. Funeral service will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Bass Okeechobee Chapel with Pastor Mickey Evans of Dunklin Memorial Church officiating. Burial will follow at Port Mayaca Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches, Inc. P.O. Box 2000, Boys Ranch, FL 32064 or to Indiantown Baptist Church, 15451 S.W. 150th St., Indiantown, FL 34956.

Friends may sign the guestbook at bassokeechobeefh.com.

Bass Okeechobee Funeral Home and Crematory, 205 N.E. Second St., Okeechobee, Fl 34972, in charge of arrangements.

By Joe Crankshaw

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 21st, 2009 at 9:45 am and is filed under Hobe Sound, Indiantown, Martin County, Stuart. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.