Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
I was born and raised here in Clovis. I come from a big family of four brothers and three sisters and I'm the youngest of the nine children. Yes, I'm the spoiled one... I am married to James Todd Holt who is a local master electrician. I'm the mother of two children and one grandson. I have been an advocate for The American Cancer Society volunteering with the local Relay for Life for over 14 years. I love my four fur babies Dottie, Maddie, Lily, Lyle.
How did you meet your spouse?
I met Todd on a Sunday afternoon in April of '89 cruising down Main Street. He was passing by in this mustard yellow little sports car and he caught my eye. I'm pretty sure it was love at first sight. We exchanged telephone numbers and he called me a week later for a date. We dated for a year before we got married. I will never forget the evening he asked my dad for my hand and marriage, all my brothers and sisters and their husbands & wife's were all in the same room. It was a big celebration as we chose our wedding date to be May 5th Cinco de Mayo weekend.
What do you like about the jobs you've held and/or your community involvement?
I enjoyed working for R & D Service Center for over 13 years as a purchasing agent and inventory control clerk. I started when I was 18 and learned a lot about heavy duty trucks. My daddy was a truck driver for many years and I spent a lot of time as a little girl around his trucks. To me it was in the blood to be doing the kind of work I was doing. I worked until my daughter was born became a full-time housewife and new mom. The year my son started kindergarten I returned after being gone for 11 years. I worked there for another 4 years till my father in law took ill and passed away. I then joined the family electrical and rental business helping my husband and elderly mother law who also took ill and needed care.
As a past member of The National Council of The American Cancer Society. It's been a passion of mine to help spread cancer awareness and to celebrate the lives of survivors after losing my mother to brain cancer when I was 8 years old and my greatest hero, my father Charlie, to lung cancer in 2002. My family has always supported me on the Relay for Life committee for several years. We had a family team called Charlie's Angels for over 10 years from young to old would participate. Everyone in our family has been affected by cancer and pitched in raising money for cancer research. I have enjoyed being involved with the community meeting lots of people and some who have become family because your story becomes their story and their story becomes yours. It's a bonding that is hard to describe we pray together, we cry together and we laugh together. Cancer research has come a long way in the last 15 years.
What does your garden grow?
I enjoy being outdoors working in my flowerbeds and my rose garden. My veggie garden has grown and expanded in the last few years. I grow zucchini, cherry tomatoes, steak tomatoes, cucumbers, jalapenos, green chili, bell peppers, corn and strawberries. I've been told for years that I have a green thumb.
What do you do when you're not working?
You never have to ask me twice about fishing I love everything about the outdoors. My son bought me my first tackle box and I have received a few fishing rods as gifts. My brother Robert took me to Valle Vidal in the Cimarron Mountains a few years back and that's where the love for fishing really kicked in. I caught a few nice rainbow trout that I was able to brag about. I enjoy fishing with my husband and son and recently with my grandson.
My favorite travel?
When our son was in tech school in Port Hueneme a few years ago we made a visit out to California to see him and he took his father and me on a deep sea fishing excursion in the Channel Islands of Oxnard, California. I caught some huge fish.
What's your favorite song at the moment?
I love music so I don't have a favorite song but I have been a fan of George Strait for many years. I went to my first George Strait concert in Portales many years ago and have been to several of his concerts. Since George has retired I've become very fond of Blake Shelton attending one of his concerts in Lubbock as a gift for my 55th birthday earlier this year.
What's so great about your favorite sport?
I'm a fan of the Dallas Cowboys and have been since I was a little girl. When I met Todd that was the biggest thing we had in common we were both Dallas Cowboy fans. When I found out I was pregnant with our second child we had names picked out. If it was a boy he would be named Dally and when we found out it was a boy I suggested we name him Dallas and that went very well so James Dallas it was as he grew up being called Dallas. He was confused at times when he was a toddler as to why we yelled his name at the TV while watching football games.
My idea of a perfect day?
Is spending time with my family. All together in Ruidoso our home away from home in a nice cozy cabin. The smell of fresh air and the wood burning stoves spending quality time laughing and joking.
Tell us about the time you cried.
The day our son James Dallas left to join the Air Force and got on the plane to basic training. I cried for days even though I knew that our heavenly father was watching over him. The day of basic training graduation a group of young Airmen came marching out to the song God Bless USA by Lee Greenwood. Knowing my son was one of them, my eyes were full of tears. The joy and excitement is something I will never forget the day he became an Airman and we became military parents.
What is your favorite quote?
I like Romans 8:28 that says... And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
My favorite hobby?
Baking cookies during Christmas season. I started baking cookie trays for my family about fifth-teen years ago. My kitchen has become a cookie factory during the last few weeks of December. My family has grown a lot since I started which means more cookies every year to bake and deliver.
Who's invited to your fantasy dinner party and why?
There are several but I would have to say Elvis Presley and Mother Teresa. I have admired Elvis songs and movies since I was a little girl and I can still remember crying the day he died. I also played a few of his songs at my wedding. Mother Teresa's kindness and quotes she shared helped me become the person I am today.