A Life Story

William Thomas "Bill" Holden, Jr., age 87, of Savannah, GA, passed away on March 18, 2025. Born in New Rochelle, NY, in 1937 to William Thomas Holden, Sr., and Helen (McLachlan) Holden, Bill lived a life full of adventure, love, and laughter.After graduating from high school, Bill proudly served in the United States Navy before beginning a long and successful career with the New York Telephone Company, which later became Verizon. During this time, he married his wife, Eileen, and together they raised their daughter in Connecticut.Upon retirement, Bill and Eileen traded the colder Northeast for the sunny, laid-back life of Savannah, GA. Though he loved the Lowcountry lifestyle, his New York accent never quite mastered the Southern "y'all"-a challenge he embraced with humor and charm.Bill was a storyteller at heart, a gift he inherited from his Scottish mother. To know him was to hear stories-tales spun with a hearty laugh and a twinkle in his eye. Larger than life, he embraced every moment with enthusiasm and a love for adventure.An avid outdoorsman, Bill hiked trails across the country and scaled mountains from Washington state to Maine. In his later years, he remained active at his local fitness center, believing that moving his body was essential to living life to the fullest.Bill's passion for travel took him to nearly every state in the U.S. as well as to Europe, South America, and Turkey. Closer to home, he gave his time to the community by volunteering at Savannah's Social Apostolate soup kitchen and organizing the annual Toys for Tots drive.He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Eileen (née Pollock); his favorite daughter, Julie Stromberg (Mike) of York, PA; his two favorite grandsons, Ryan Stromberg of Colorado Springs, CO, and Jack Stromberg of Baltimore, MD; his favorite sister, Bonnie Caporale (Dan) of Norwalk, CT; and many nieces and nephews.A wake will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25th at Fox and Weeks - Hodgson Chapel. In true Bill fashion, his family hopes it will be filled with stories, laughter, and fond memories.