William Curry Holden - Marriages and Later Years

Marriages and Later Years

Holden was twice married. His first wife, Olive Holden née Price (1903–1937) died only eleven years after their marriage. Their only child, Jane Holden Kelley, became a professor of archaeology at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Olive assisted her husband in the development of the anthropology program at Texas Tech University and in the design and construct of an adobe house near the campus.

On March 26, 1939, Holden married Frances Virginia "Fran" Holden née Mayhugh, a native of Running Water in Hale County, Texas. She graduated from Plainview High School and received a master of arts degree in history from Texas Tech in 1940. She was associate director of the Museum of Texas Tech University from 1940 to 1965. She founded the museum's Southwestern Art Collection and the Women's Council.

Holden retired from Texas Tech in 1970. During his retirement, Holden and Frances built adobe houses in Pueblo-revival style. These buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and are designated as state and city archaeological and historic landmarks.

Holden died on April 21, 1993, at the age of ninety-six. His younger brother, Tom Calloway Holden of Kerrville, Texas, a retired educator, died on August 4, 2007, at the age of 103, and Frances Holden died only 16 days later.

William and Frances Holden are interred in the family plot with his parents and first wife at the City of Lubbock Cemetery. Frances's grave is not specifically marked. They were Methodist.