On September 8, 2021, Wallace Dumont Holderman, 92, quietly passed away, his beloved wife Mary by his side, devoted partners for 66 years. He is welcomed into the next world by his father and mother, Dumont and Velma Holderman, numerous friends, and a pack of ornery Brittany Spaniels.
He will be deeply missed by his children, Amy Teeter and husband David, Ann Fate and husband Paul, Dean Holderman and wife Meg. They are grateful for the important role he played in the lives of his grandchildren, Seth Sheldon, Stephen Sheldon, Mary Burge, Bryan Fate, Emily Fate, Andy Fate, Callie Holderman, and Grace Holderman. They blessed him with countless beautiful memories and eight great-grandchildren.
Wally grew up in Kansas City and relished summers spent on the family farm near Emporia. What the family lacked in means they supplemented with love. He had a brilliant mind and graduated from Kansas University with a degree in Chemistry and a Medical Doctorate. It was while attending medical school in Kansas City that he met and fell in love with Mary Taggart, a nursing student. After completing his internship at the University of Texas Medical Branch Hospital in Galveston, he returned to KU to study Orthopaedic Surgery. Upon graduation, Wally began active service in the Air Force. He enjoyed his military experience and the wonderful friends he made while in service. His military career included stations in Montgomery, Alabama, Fairbanks, Alaska, and Fort Worth, Texas.
Wally resigned his commission in the Air Force in 1964, and, seeking a place to raise a family and hunt birds, joined a private Orthopaedic practice in Hutchinson, Kansas and later, The Hutchinson Clinic. He loved being an Orthopaedic Surgeon and practiced for thirty years. His service to the healthcare community included serving as Chief of Staff during the consolidation of St. Elizabeth and Grace Hospitals into todays Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. He also served as President of the Reno County Medical Society, President of the Kansas Orthopaedic Society, President of the Hutchinson Clinic, Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center, Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and Diplomat of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.
He enjoyed tennis and played weekly well into his late eighties. He was an avid outdoorsman and cherished time spent with family and friends sailing, fishing, and hunting. He kept a special place in his heart for his bird dogs; admiring their innate abilities, overlooking their indiscretions, appreciating their companionship, and mourning their passing. He was deeply and quietly spiritual, thankful for a blessed life. Those of us lucky enough to have known him are eternally grateful.
A private memorial service honoring Wally’s life will be held at a later date at First Presbyterian Church where he was a long-time member. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to First Presbyterian Church, Hospice & HomeCare of Reno County, or Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Wild Trust, in care of Elliott Mortuary and Crematory, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.