Longtime Galesburg Businessman John Raymond Holt Dies at 99

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John Raymond Holt, a longtime resident of Galesburg, Illinois who founded a successful plumbing supply company, has died at the age of 99. Holt spent his early years in the Illinois Valley area before moving to Galesburg, where he graduated from Corpus Christi High School. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Holt began working in the plumbing industry, eventually starting his own contracting firm and later founding PHC Supply Company, which became Holt Supply Company and is now a multi-generational family business.

Why it matters

Holt's story represents the American dream of building a successful family business from the ground up. As a World War II veteran who went on to found a company that has endured for generations, Holt's life and work exemplify the values of hard work, entrepreneurship, and community that have long been central to the Midwest.

The details

Holt began his career in the plumbing industry, working his way up from a loading dock job at May Company to becoming a journeyman plumber. He then launched his own contracting firm, John R. Holt, Inc., before founding PHC Supply Company, which later became Holt Supply Company. The company has grown into a multi-generational family business that Holt took great pride in building.

• Holt was born on February 17, 1927 in La Salle, Illinois.
• Holt served in the United States Navy during World War II.
• Holt married Margaret Anne Kennedy on November 6, 1948.
• Holt and his wife Margaret Anne moved to Bloomington, Illinois in 2005.
• Holt passed away on February 24, 2026 at the age of 99.