John D. Holt

John D. Holt, 59, of 847 Martin St., Meadville, passed away Friday, December 10, 2010, with his devoted wife at his side.
John was born in Meadville on May 14, 1951, a son of the late John and Dorothy R. (Christy) Holt.
He is survived by his wife Susan (McKinney) Lloyd Holt. After finding their way back to each other in 1991, they married on January 9, 2005, a very brisk, winter day, under a pine tree.
A 1969 graduate of Meadville High School, John attended Edinboro College and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from Mercyhurst College in 1974. While at Mercyhurst, he received numerous Presidential Scholar Awards. During summer break he became employed with C & B Machine Shop, Crawford County Laborers Union, and Ironworkers Local 348 of Erie.
Hired as an Adult Probation Officer on April 17, 1975, John was promoted to Assistant Chief Probation Officer in 1985 and to Chief Adult Probation Officer in 1998. On April 24, 2009 he retired after 34 years, one week and one day of service to the court and to the citizens of Crawford County. During his career, John accepted appointments to committees at the local level as well as with the Chief Adult Probation Officers Association. Those assignments would include service to the American Red Cross Disaster Response Team, Crawford County Aids Coalition, Crawford County Jail Study Committee, Crawford County Law Enforcement Crimes Committee, Juvenile Justice Committee, Domestic Violence Committee, Methamphetamine Information Task Force and Crawford County Criminal Justice Advisory Committee. In addition to being a certified DUI school instructor, he was also a PA State Police Firearms instructor and NRA Shotgun instructor. John served as chairman of the Training Committee and chairman of the Firearms Committee for the Chief Adult Probation Officers Association. He designed and proposed a firearm education and training program that was passed into law as Act 185 of 1994. In 1995 John was appointed by Gov. Tom Ridge to serve on the Firearm Commission, implementing the mandate of the Act. Additionally he proposed amendments to two existing laws which were successfully passed. He was awarded as County Adult Probation Officer of the Year by the PA Association of Probation, Parole and Corrections. John was instrumental in changing the curriculum format within the Probation Officers Basic Training Academy operated by the PA Board of Probation and Parole where he served as an instructor for five years.
John enjoyed fly fishing, instructing fly tying, making fishing rods and Sportsman Club activities. He loved his family, friends and community. He especially loved playing with his granddaughter, Libby, who was his personal sunshine.
In addition to his wife Susan, John is survived by his step daughter Jennifer Lloyd of Meadville and her partner Casey Koffman of Conneaut Lake, a granddaughter Libby Koffman of Meadville, a sister Nancy Kobel of Simi Valley, CA, two nieces Kim Kobel, Kelley Springer and a great nephew Kaegan Springer.
Family and friends are invited to call on Monday from 3-8 at Stephen P. Mizner Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., 404 Chestnut St., Meadville and also on Tuesday from 10-11 at Meadville Alliance Church, 660 N. Main St., Meadville, where Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM with Rev. Jeffrey Conley, Pastor, officiating.
Interment will take place in Greendale Cemetery, West Mead Twp.
Memorial contributions may be made to The American Cancer Society, 505 Poplar St., Suite 310, Meadville, PA 16335.