{"id":101587,"date":"2026-08-07T11:45:04","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T15:45:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/?p=101587"},"modified":"2026-08-07T11:45:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T15:45:08","slug":"michael-mike-d-holderman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/?p=101587","title":{"rendered":"Michael \u201cMike\u201d D. Holderman"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!--AUTO-AD-BEFORE-->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\"\n        data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\n        data-ad-layout-key=\"-gw-3+1f-3d+2z\"\n        data-ad-client=\"0531879237494766\"\n        data-ad-slot=\"5600453644\"><\/ins>\n    <script>(adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({});<\/script>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"339\" height=\"440\" src=\"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Thumbnail-9.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-101588\" srcset=\"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Thumbnail-9.webp 339w, https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Thumbnail-9-231x300.webp 231w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 339px) 100vw, 339px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Michael \u201cMike\u201d D. Holderman, 75, of LaFontaine, Indiana, passed away peacefully at 12:55 a.m. on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at Wellbrooke of Wabash, after a long battle with cancer. Born March 6, 1951, in Fort Wayne to Lewis Dean and Velma Jean \u201cSally\u201d (Schlemmer) Holderman, Mike grew up with a strong spirit, a love of sports, and a gift for working with his hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A 1969 graduate of Southwood High School, Mike lettered in both basketball and football. On October 27, 2006, he married Dean\u00e9 Smith at LaFontaine Christian Church, beginning more than twenty years of devotion and partnership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mike spent 37 years at GM in Marion, where his leadership and work ethic were well known. His passion for cars defined much of his life &#8211; especially his love for 1957 Chevrolets. A master paint and body man, he completed over 13 full restorations, earned features in Hot Rod Magazine, and became known for his signature \u201cCandy Apple Red\u201d paint and flame designs. He also loved motorcycles, owning several Harleys and racing in his younger years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A man of many talents, Mike could fix anything. He was an original Colts fan, an avid golfer who led the GM golf league, and later restored golf clubs in retirement. He loved music, dancing, old westerns, and found peace in the sand and sun at Lake Michigan or the Gulf &#8211; the sound of waves was his comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mike is survived by his wife, Dean\u00e9, his children, Joseph (Julie) Holderman, Kate (Greg) Denham, Claire (Chad) Clark, and Matt Holderman, and ten grandchildren: Jack, Evelyn, Josie, Ella, Anna, Joel, Caleb, Naomi, Cas, and Charleigh. He is also survived by his sisters, Pamela (Doug) Simons and Lucinda \u201cCindy\u201d (Billy Wicker) Holderman. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Mark Holderman Sr.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A celebration of Mike\u2019s life will be held at a later date. Arrangements are entrusted to Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service in Wabash. Guests may sign his memorial book at grandstaff-hentgen.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/grandstaffhentgen-funeral-service-inc.tributestore.com\/?oId=49180139&amp;tag=&amp;source=tco_description&amp;_cdx=GA1.1.1063076319.1748016019:GS2.1.s1786117170$o190$g1$t1786117416$j58$l0$h0&amp;tcouuid=6ef8c9d6-e6bc-493c-a339-5e09171d2e80&amp;mtph=1\">send flowers<\/a>&nbsp;to the family or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/tree-tc.tributestore.com\/?oId=49180139&amp;tag=&amp;source=tco_description&amp;_cdx=GA1.1.1063076319.1748016019:GS2.1.s1786117170$o190$g1$t1786117416$j58$l0$h0&amp;tcouuid=6ef8c9d6-e6bc-493c-a339-5e09171d2e80&amp;mtph=1\">plant a tree<\/a>&nbsp;in memory of Michael &#8220;Mike&#8221;, please&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/grandstaffhentgen-funeral-service-inc.tributestore.com\/?oId=49180139&amp;tag=&amp;source=tco_description&amp;_cdx=GA1.1.1063076319.1748016019:GS2.1.s1786117170$o190$g1$t1786117416$j58$l0$h0&amp;tcouuid=6ef8c9d6-e6bc-493c-a339-5e09171d2e80&amp;mtph=1\">visit our floral store.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<!--AUTO-AD-AFTER-->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;text-align:center\"\n        data-ad-format=\"autorelaxed\"\n        data-ad-client=\"0531879237494766\"\n        data-ad-slot=\"9212395598\"><\/ins>\n    <script>(adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({});<\/script>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Michael \u201cMike\u201d D. Holderman, 75, of LaFontaine, Indiana, passed away peacefully at 12:55 a.m. on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at Wellbrooke of Wabash, after a long battle with cancer. Born March 6, 1951, in Fort Wayne to Lewis Dean and Velma Jean \u201cSally\u201d (Schlemmer) Holderman, Mike grew up with a strong spirit, a love of &#8230; <a title=\"Michael \u201cMike\u201d D. Holderman\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/?p=101587\" aria-label=\"Read more about Michael \u201cMike\u201d D. Holderman\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[261],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-101587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-obituaries-2"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Wade Weaver","author_link":"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/?author=3"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/?cat=261\" rel=\"category\">Obituaries2<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Michael \u201cMike\u201d D. Holderman, 75, of LaFontaine, Indiana, passed away peacefully at 12:55 a.m. on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at Wellbrooke of Wabash, after a long battle with cancer. Born March 6, 1951, in Fort Wayne to Lewis Dean and Velma Jean \u201cSally\u201d (Schlemmer) Holderman, Mike grew up with a strong spirit, a love of&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101587","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=101587"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101587\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":101590,"href":"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101587\/revisions\/101590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=101587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=101587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yournewslocal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=101587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}