Brian Hilton Holmes passed away on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Brian was born Aug. 15, 1939 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to Hilton Palmer (Mack) Holmes and Bertha Evelyn Brown Holmes.

In the early 1960s, Brian moved to Orange County, Calif., where he met Carole in 1965. They married in 1966 and raised their family in Huntington Beach, Calif. When Brian retired from working for General Telephone, they moved to Whidbey Island, Wash., in 1997 where they built a home in Greenbank.

Brian loved the island and resisted going “off island” as much as he could. He loved salmon fishing and boating in the Puget Sound, stream fishing in the Sierras, “puttering” in the garage and working in the yard.

Brian was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, son, son-in-law, brother -in-law, cousin, uncle and friend. He will forever be remembered for his humor, hearty laugh and infectious smile.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Carole; daughters, Kimberly Lynne Holmes and Tracy Elizabeth Vaughan; grandchildren, Jared Taylor Vaughan, Savanna Tyler Vaughan and Austin Jacob Pearce; and great grandson, Anson Rose Vaughan.

Brian’s family will be forever grateful for the loving and compassionate care from the doctors, nurses and staff at the MAC unit at Whidbey Health Medical Center and the palliative and hospice nurses and staff.

A celebration of Brian’s life is being planned for this spring.