Donald Randolph Holland

Donald Randolph Holland was born in Baltimore, MD, October 30, 1922, the son of the late, Franklin Holland and Anna Wolf Holland. Franklin was born in 1857 and Franklin’s father in 1797. Thus the three generations spanned the terms of all US presidents. Donald was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. He attended Boys Latin School, graduating in 1939. The same year he entered Johns Hopkins University, graduating in 1943 with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was sent to Harvard University and MIT for training in maintenance of anti-aircraft radar. He was then deployed to Camp Davies and was assigned commanding officer of the 259th Signal Radar Maintenance Unit. The unit spent six months in the Antwerp area with various antiaircraft units defending against V1 and V2 German missiles. He received a letter of commendation for outstanding work in the defense of Antwerp from General Montgomery. He was mustered out of the army with the rank of Captain in June 1946. In June 1946, he married his fiancé of three years, Hertha Schlitz. They had four children over the next several years. Donald was employed by the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company from 1946 to 1984, retiring as supervising engineer of the Electric System Engineering Division. He was responsible for developing the first microwave communications system to protect power grids from black-outs. Donald was a licensed engineer in the State of Maryland and a Senior Engineer in IEEE. He also served in the Edison Electric Institute and various Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland (PJM) power grid committees. After retirement, Donald and Hertha moved to St. Michaels in 1986 where they enjoyed sailing and golfing. Donald became a skilled cabinetmaker and especially enjoyed volunteering in the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. He often quipped when asked about his profession that professionally he was a cabinetmaker but as a hobby he worked for BG&E for 38 years. Don Holland was a devout Christian, serving as a Deacon and Elder in several Presbyterian churches. He is survived by his wife of 67 years Hertha; his children, Stephanie Torres, Dona (Jay) Benford, Phoebe and (Clifton) Drury, and John (Elfriede Holland); eight grandchildren, Phillip Torres (Whitney), Sylvia Torres Morgan (Chris), Elizabeth Benford Tryon (Michael), Lorena Benford, Katharin Drury Johnson (Jeremy), Jeffery Drury, John Drury, Brooke Drury and fiancé, Matthew Baker; and great-granddaughter, Avery Elizabeth Tryon; three nieces; two nephews; and outlived his older brother, Gordon M. Holland by eleven days. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, August 22, 2013, at 11:00 AM at Talbot Bible Church, 9114 Chapel Road, Easton, MD 21601. A private burial will follow in Oxford Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Mr. Holland to Talbot Hospice Foundation, 586 Cynwood Drive, Easton, MD 21601 or The Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 300 Mill St., Cambridge, MD 21613.

Donald Randolph Holland

October 30, 1922 - August 18, 2013