David Drake Holtz

David Drake Holtz (Dave) of Centennial, CO left the world to his children and grandchildren on November 12, 2024. By his admission, he lived a full and wonderful life with no regrets. Dave is survived by his sister Laurie Holtz Hatton of Denver, Colorado; daughter Liesl Holtz of Lafayette, Colorado; son Paul Holtz of Denver, Colorado; grandchildren Charlie and Hawken Mahoney of Lafayette, Colorado; nephew Christopher Norman Hatton and niece Jennifer Rosen of Nederland, Colorado. Dave is preceded in his next adventure by his parents Marjorie and Wesley Holtz; his nieces Elizabeth (Beth) Marjorie Hatton and Stephanie Paula Hatton and grandparents Roy F. and Gertrude Drake.

Dave’s father was a geotechnical engineer and lead engineer for the construction of the Alta Dam, in Alta, Oklahoma, where Dave was born on July 29, 1942. The Holtz family moved to Lakewood, Colorado, and later settled in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

Dave attended Lakewood Elementary, Middle, and High School, finishing his final year of High School at Wheat Ridge High School in 1960. David attended the University of Colorado graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and securing a degree in chemical engineering in 1965. He was an active member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. 

David served in the Navy from 1966 through 1969. After graduation from college Dave was faced with the proposition of being drafted into the Vietnam War. Rather than go through the draft he enlisted in the Navy. Dave attended the US Naval Academy where he was trained as an aviator of the F8 Crusader. This supersonic plane was challenging to fly with difficult maneuverability known for its high mortality. 

David served for 875 days on the USS Coral Sea (SVA-43), which was based in Alameda, California. The USS Coral Sea voyage topped all other carriers for combat operations but paid dearly for its crew lost in war. 

He entered the Navy as an ensign in May of 1966 and was quickly promoted to an intelligence specialist for NCIS. Specific medals and citations include the Navy Unit Command Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Naval Achievement Medal, and Vietnam Service Medal. He was honorably discharged in 1969. He finished his commitment as a Lieutenant in 1969.

During Dave’s career in the Navy, he married his childhood sweetheart Pamela Eddy in 1968 with the ceremony being performed at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lakewood, a church that the family homesteaded back in the 1950’s. Pam and Dave gave birth to his daughter Liesl in 1973 and they later adopted their son Paul, born in the Philippines, in 1978. Both of their children were raised in Littleton, Colorado.

Dave was a fine athlete, and his first love was baseball. He played baseball through Little League into high school eventually giving it up when he moved to Wheat Ridge High School. However, he carried his passion and love for the game throughout his life. He was also an avid soccer fan and coached both of his children through their youth soccer careers. Dave and Paul frequently attended Monster Truck rallies together. Dave was also a loyal Denver Broncos fan and was often seen in his signature Broncos leather jacket. 

After retirement from the US Navy, David was recruited to work for Gates Rubber Company where he worked as a Senior Product Development Engineer for over 30 years. Dave began work in their tire division. He served as an engineer designing tires for passenger and specialty vehicles. He took the initiative to design a tire that ultimately won the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in the early 70’s and became part of Gates Rubber Company’s off-road tire entry into the market. The success of this tire was noted, and he was provided with commendation.

Gates later moved out of the tire business and Dave moved into the Power Transmission division specializing in V Belt design which covered the majority of his career. His expertise was the design of V belts for passenger, commercial, and agricultural applications to just name a few. He was awarded a U.S. patent for his design of the serpentine belt and received significant commendation from Gates. The serpentine belt ultimately revolutionized automotive belts. 

During his tenure as an engineer designing tires, his company car was a Chevy Nova incorporating a Paxton supercharger where they could evaluate tires under extreme conditions. He was living the good life. 

David and Pamela divorced in 1992. David remarried Dee Ann Knudsen in 2020. The couple lived part-time in Arizona, he played golf early and often and traveled the world visiting Africa, China, and Canada for many years. David and Dee Ann permanently separated in 2022. 

David enjoyed the outdoors immensely and was an accomplished skier and spent much of his family years skiing at Loveland, Steamboat, Mary Jane and Winter Park. He carried on the tradition with his children who are both accomplished snow sports athletes to this day and share his love for the outdoors. 

His other passion was cars. His father bought him his first car and he spent much of his time upgrading and hot-rodding his car eventually turning into an avid drag racer. He then later transitioned into racing rails at the Bandamere Speedway. He and his high school friend built and raced rails at Bandamere Speedway for years competing and winning numerous races and competitions.

David also enjoyed flying RC planes and has numerous fond memories of four-wheeling in Colorado and Arizona with his son Paul. 

David was an avid participant of AA and was a founding member in the mid-1980s along with a small group of friends of the Dragon’s Den, a refuge for alcoholics and a cornerstone for Alcoholics Anonymous in the Denver area. He contributed to the sobriety of hundreds of individuals and this community became a cornerstone of the recovery process. It lives on as a testament to his commitment to continued sobriety and success. 

His journey through sobriety having conquered alcohol for nearly 40 years led him to a process of exercise and self-care. He worked diligently maintaining his health, riding his bike, working out regularly and it led him to his first love of skiing. He was an accomplished athlete and skier and continued skiing until physical limitations prevented him from continuing with his first love. 

He dearly loved his grandchildren, Charlie and Hawken. He enjoyed time watching them play soccer, compete in flag football, and just spend time with them. His adoration for his grandchildren will be permanently embedded and his spirit will carry on with both of the grandchildren.