Elaine Vida (Stanton) Holt

Elaine Vida (Stanton) Holt passed peacefully at home June 11, 2022. She was diagnosed with Leukemia in July 2020, and after 6 months of chemo was successfully in remission. She had a wonderful life until a major stroke just two days prior to her passing. She was born February 12, 1937, in Hastings, Michigan to Howard Thomas and Esther Jennie (Van Delic) Stanton. She was raised on the family farm in Dowling, Michigan as the 4th generation to live on that homestead.

Elaine attended the one-room Barney Mills School, through 8th grade and graduated from Hastings High School in 1954. She raised and showed dairy cattle in 4-H, was crowned the 1954 Barry County Dairy Queen, and went on to become the runner-up regional Dairy Queen. She attended Michigan State University for her first 2 years of college. She developed a passion for physical therapy after learning about the treatment of young polio patients by Mary McMillan. Michigan State did not have that program, so she transferred to The Ohio State University earning her bachelor’s degree in the second graduating class of OSU physical therapists. While at Ohio State, she met the love of her life, Dwight Humphrey Holt. They were married June 15, 1958, at Dowling Methodist Church, almost 64 years ago. They raised their 3 children on a farm, like generations of their families before them. Elaine began her 40-year career in Physical Therapy at the Magnetic Springs Rehabilitation Center followed by 35 years as a Physical Therapist at Allen Memorial Hospital in Oberlin, Ohio. Elaine was a dedicated volunteer for many community organizations including her Church, Farm Bureau, 4-H, Scouting, and Firelands School organizations. She was a founding member of a new chapter of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority and was recognized as the first outstanding member of the year. For many years Elaine’s joys included overseeing the church kitchen. If it needed to be done, she did it. In retirement, she and husband Dwight enjoyed life on the farm, gardening, vacationing, and spending time with family. They especially enjoyed traveling in their camper and their many trips to National Parks in the western USA and Canada.

She is survived by her husband Dwight Humphrey Holt, 3 children – David Howard Holt, Karen Sue Holt, Michael James (Andrea) Holt - and 6 grandchildren, David Brian (Christina), Lauren Elizabeth, Audrey Elaine, Catherine Jane, William Viktor, and Henry Cleeland; her sister Marilyn Ann Meyers and brother William Howard Stanton, many cousins, nieces, nephews, family & friends. She was preceded in death by her parents Howard and Esther, brother, Bernard Lee Stanton, sister, Arlene Ivah Stanton, and her daughter-in-law Ardis Helaine Edmondson-Holt.

Funeral service and visiting hours will be at First Congregational Church UCC, 140 S Main St, Wellington, OH 44090. Visiting hours Friday June 24th 4pm-7pm and Saturday June 25th 11am-noon. Funeral, Saturday June 25th noon. Interment at Camden Cemetery, Kipton, OH. Memorial gifts are invited to First Congregational UCC, 140 S Main St, Wellington, OH 44090 www.wellingtonfirstchurch.org. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Elaine Vida (Stanton) Holt, please visit our floral store.