Darrell R Holderman, Jr.

Darrell Rueben Holderman, Jr (Bud) 84 of Bristol, PA passed away on Saturday, January 31, 2026, surrounded by family. Bud was born in La Junta, Colorado on December 23, 1941, to Marjorie Williams Holderman and Darrell Reuben Holderman. Bud is predeceased by his parents and sister Ann Whittier.

Bud was known for his love of family, his funny wit, and love of music. Bud's family moved to New York City when he was five years old. They lived near Radio City and then Spanish Harlem. Bud spent many years living on farms with Mennonite families in Lancaster, PA. In 1955 Bud was seriously injured in a tractor accident in Mt. Joy, PA and miraculously survived. The family moved from New York City to Staten Island, NY when Bud was 13. There he met his future wife Helen (Nellie) on Halloween Night in 1958.

Bud is survived by his wife of 62 years, Helen (Nellie), his daughters Lisa Holderman (Richard Waterman), Kari Holderman (John Contarino), his son in-law John Faye, his grandchildren Natalie Faye, Sean Faye, and Jackson Holderman, his brother Joel Holderman (Estelle deceased), brother-in-law Dick Whittier, his best friend Al Fox (Fran) and many nephews and nieces and friends from New York, New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Bud was a funny guy, just ask his relatives and friends. He was interested in music, from classical, country and western, church music and barbershop. Bud played his guitar and sang in many choirs, sang at weddings and was a valued bass in his barber shop quartet and barbershop chorus. He said he always woke up with a song in his head.

Bud's biggest joy was family. He was an active dad playing with daughters and neighborhood kids in Plainfield, NJ after a long day in construction. He loved taking his girls and their friends to the Watchung Lake Club and to Friendly's for ice cream. Bud worked hard his whole life. He spent many nights sleeping on a cot at Public Service Electric and Gas so he could take a double shift and afford college for Lisa and Kari.

Bud was an Army veteran. He served from 1963 to 1968 as a radio repair technician in Ft. Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma and Ft. Chaffee in Ft. Smith Arkansas and in the Army Reserves in Staten Island, NY.

Bud had many jobs in his life. He worked as a "runner" at the Cocoa Exchange in New York, as a stock person at Cartier's in New York City, as an elevator mechanic and elevator construction worker for Westinghouse Elevators in New York, and as an ironworker in New York and New Jersey. Bud retired from PSEG as a gas repairman in 2002 when Nell took a work transfer to Raleigh, North Carolina where they spent many happy years with warm weather and warm people.

Because of his declining health, Bud and Nell decided to move back north to be near Lisa, Kari, and the grandchildren. They bought a house in an over-55 community in Bristol, PA in August 2025. Bud had an operation with complications in October 2025 and spent several months trying to regain his strength.

His life was a gift to us all. He leaves a void that can never be filled, but also a lifetime of stories that will never be forgotten. We love him, always.

A celebration of life will be held at a future date in the spring.