ForeverMissed
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Please join us in honoring John Holman. 

John Holman’s Celebration of Life
Date Saturday January 27th
Location TPC Harding Park
99 Harding Rd, San Francisco, CA 94132
Time:11:30am-2:30pm

Please use this site as a way to share memories and photos.  Through us, John lives on.

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of John Holman at 86 years old, on the 10th of January, 2024.   He was a towering figure of wisdom, generosity, love, and kindness.  His love touched all who were within his circle, radiating an embracing warmth that made everyone feel valued.

John Holman was born in Brent, Alabama.  His first exposure to the big city was at 16 and a half when he left Alabama to live with extended family in Chicago.  At the age of 17 and a half he enrolled in the Coast Guard where he spent the next four years.  After his time in the Coast Guard, he lived in Canada for several years before settling in San Francisco.  John started his time at San Francisco State University in the late 1970s as part of the custodial staff and worked his way up to the role of Logistics Manager.  He retired from SFSU in 2012.  

John left a legacy on how be in community with one another.  He was generous with in his friendships.  It was not uncommon for him to drop by with a gift, a box of fruit or just to say hello.  His presence was always filled with warmth, sincerity and kindness.

John had a breadth of knowledge and spent a lot of time reading and learning post retirement.  Often he was sharing his knowledge via emails, phone calls and text messages.  

Anyone who knew John would remember his sharp style and his penchant for hats, an element of his personality that added an extra dash of charm to his already captivating persona. His unique style will continue to be a fond memory for all who knew him closely.

May his soul rest in peace. He will be greatly missed, but his memory will live on in the hearts of all those whose lives were touched by his presence.

Tributes

Leave a tribute
Zelinda Zingaro
February 1
February 1
Can’t you just hear his voice? I loved running into John on campus and we would catch up on projects around campus and how things were going. It was many years that I knew him - from about 1984 and I never heard him say a negative word about anyone, He loved SF State and gave it is all. John, Rest in peace.
Victor E. Osorio
January 18
January 18
John was my next-building neighbor, and I have known him since 2014.
We always talk about my kids and her grandmother, Dr. Ozer.
He gave me fruit for my children every time I saw him after the Pacifica farmer's market. He loved the Turkish delight we gave him after Grandmother Ozer returned from her travel. We will miss his smile and gentle words in the street parking.
nilgun ozer
January 17
January 17
I first met with John when I started to work at SF State University in 2001. He was a wonderful, kind and generous person. There are no words for the legacy John has left on the Ozer Family. His shining personality will live on in our hearts.We are mourning his passing with everyone who knows him.
Cheryl Chapel
January 16
January 16
I first met John in 1979 when I was 18 years old, and a freshman at SF State. We spent many hours in the basement of the education building, where he would always find me working on class assignments. While there, we talked for hours about our lives, politics, society, and about our struggles with jobs and relationships and we ended by always encouraging each other to persevere. John was a wise, happy, funny, loyal, loving, and selfless human being who loved to learn and was curious about everything. But most of all he was a true friend who accepted everyone, and would share his wisdom, time, laughter, and resources with any friend in need. What I treasure most about John was his eternal optimism, his love of humanity, his belief in learning from the past, owning up to your mistakes, and in not being limited by your origins, or circumstances from accomplishing your goals. My sister and I will miss John forever and we thank God for the opportunity to have been a part of his life. May he find, joy, peace and rest, in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ in heaven.

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Recent Tributes
Zelinda Zingaro
February 1
February 1
Can’t you just hear his voice? I loved running into John on campus and we would catch up on projects around campus and how things were going. It was many years that I knew him - from about 1984 and I never heard him say a negative word about anyone, He loved SF State and gave it is all. John, Rest in peace.
Victor E. Osorio
January 18
January 18
John was my next-building neighbor, and I have known him since 2014.
We always talk about my kids and her grandmother, Dr. Ozer.
He gave me fruit for my children every time I saw him after the Pacifica farmer's market. He loved the Turkish delight we gave him after Grandmother Ozer returned from her travel. We will miss his smile and gentle words in the street parking.
nilgun ozer
January 17
January 17
I first met with John when I started to work at SF State University in 2001. He was a wonderful, kind and generous person. There are no words for the legacy John has left on the Ozer Family. His shining personality will live on in our hearts.We are mourning his passing with everyone who knows him.
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Recent stories

The Gentle Giant

January 22
by John Lew
Currently I work at Facilities Services, SFSU and met John in 2006.  John Holman was the Logistics Manager for Facilities & Service Enterprises.  John was Mr. Robert Hutson's AVP assistant and coordinated services around campus and with outside public agencies such as SFMTA and City Hall officials.  He ran errands for the shop and communicated often to colleges regarding maintenance services. John would make himself available to Work Control at Facilities and substitute at the desk when needed to answer phones and radio calls.  John was involved with Commencement at Cox Stadium monitoring by radio Lot 20 Elevator capacity to prevent overheating.  We would refer to him as "Mr. Holman" out of respect.  According to Phil Evans, Director of Campus Grounds, in his tribute speech posted on this website, Mr. Holman was the "Quality Control Inspector" on campus - aka Phil's Tormentor.  To me he was the Gentle Giant with a sense of humor.  He often exchanged words with Dori Palmer at Work Control just to get on each other's nerves when passing through. He enjoyed the contentious chatter just to pass time and smiled walking away.  On some weird occasion, John drove by Corporation Yard in his Cadillac and gave me a gigantic bag of broccoli from the Farmer's Market enough for a month's supply.  Wow that was John with such a big heart.  John told me to hang in tough with all of the management changes making work conditions unbearable.  I took his advice and survived 3 AVPs.  I will certainly miss John's Gentle Giant presence and his laughter was genuine. 

My Best Friend

January 15
by julie lu
I met John while working as a work study student in the Facilities Department at SFSU.  I had my own assignments but part of my job was also to assist him in drafting John's email.  We only lived in the same city for a year or so beefore I went off to medical school but John never stopped keeping tabs on me.  It is hard to explain to folks our friendship and connection.  He was my best friend.  I feel like I have known John several lifetimes.  

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