George Paul Holp, Jr.
Loving Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather

George Paul Holp, Jr., 97, of Erie, who resided at The Sarah Reed Retirement Center, died Friday, July 16, 2010.

He was born in Trenton, N.J. on September 22, 1912, a son of the late George P. Holp, Sr. and Julia Konyhas Holp. His mother died an untimely death at a young age, so he was raised by his father and stepmother, Julia Okey Holp, in Filbert, West Virginia.
After graduating from Gary High School, Gary, West VA., he attended Concord College in Athens, West Va. He loved music and was a musician in the school orchestra and band, playing the saxophone. In college he was one of the founders of The Concord Commanders which was the school's dance band that still exists today. Also he was a member of the Phi Delta Pi Fraternity.

While residing in Filbert, West Va., he was employed as a coal miner by the U.S. Steel Company and after moving to Erie, PA, worked at the American Sterilizer Co., retiring after 30 years of service in 1974. He was a member of the Quarter Century Club of the Steris Corp.
He was proud of his Hungarian heritage and was fluent in reading and writing the language. Also, he was a member of the Sons and Daughters of Hungary.

Being civic minded person, he was active in the community by being a member of the Erie Civil Defense. He was a lifetime member of Holy Rosary Church and was active in the Holy Rosary Ushers Society, serving as an officer and member for over 50 years. Church work was his social outlet and he volunteered for many festivals, dinners and other special events. He was a volunteer at Sarah Reed and was a helpful, loving person who always thought of others needs.

George was a thoughtful and generous husband and father. He taught many good values of life to his family and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, attending their various school and sporting events. Most importantly, he enjoyed teaching them how to fish, as it was his favorite hobby and he was proud of his ice fishing record. One winter weekend, he caught 197 fish one day, and 198 the next day, which he shared with the entire neighborhood. He also enjoyed hunting, gardening and especially playing the lottery. He loved to share his story of how he bought one lottery ticket and misplaced it, then bought a second one with the same numbers. After finding the first ticket, he realized that these were the winning numbers and won on both tickets.

We will all miss our beloved "Poppo" and his kind, loving ways, and his presence at our family gathering. We are consoled by the fact that he lived and shared our lives for 97 years, and is now with his wife Emma Jane Soltesz Holp, the love of his life, to whom he was married 63 happy and loving years, taking care of her until her death on June 18, 1999.

In addition to his wife, George was also preceded in death by two brothers, Joseph Holpe and John Holpe and a granddaughter, Christine Claire Kalkhof.

He is survived by two daughters, Mary Fran Kalkhof and her husband Thomas, and Barbara Fiorenzo all of Erie; one brother, Stephen Holpe of Richmond, VA; one grandson, Paul C. Kalkhof and his wife Holly of Pittsburgh, PA; three granddaughters, Brenda Smith and her husband Michael, Lisa Wilcox and her husband Norman, Rebecca Walach and her husband Keith; six great- grandchildren, Michael and Daniel Smith; Holly and Nicholas Wilcox and David and Nathaniel Walach; Nieces, Janice Kable and her husband Gary and Carolyn Shaffer; nephews, Mark Holpe and his wife Vicki, Lee Holpe and his wife Sherwood and John Holpe.
The family would like to thank the employees at Sarah Reed Retirement Center and Saint Vincent Health Center, for their outstanding service and care.


Friends may call at the A. Brugger & Sons Funeral Home, LLP, 845 E. 38th St. at Pine Ave. on Thursday from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m., and on Friday at Holy Rosary Church, from 9 a.m. until the time of the Funeral Mass at 10 a.m.
Burial will be in Gate of Heaven Cemetery.