Carl Holser, a native of Santa Cruz County, peacefully passed away at his home on Father’s Day, June 15, 2003 at the age of 83.
Born in Soquel Aug, 24, 1919 on his parents farm on Rodeo Gulch Rd., he later attended Soquel Elementary School. In 1929, when Carl was only nine years old, both of his parents, Charles and Pauline Holser died. He then went to live with his sister Alma who helped raise him for the next 12 years.
In 1922, Carl’s brother, Zola, opened a tire shop with their fathers’ help. At the age of 16 Carl started working with Zola while attending Santa Cruz High School, where he graduated in 1938. He continued working at the tire shop, which was located at the corner of Front and Cooper Streets in Santa Cruz until he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941. In school he enjoyed track and field, farming and art. He had hopes of being a cartoonist with Disney Studios but instead bought himself a movie camera in 1936 and had fun filming friends and events around town.
After his training as a weatherman in the Air Corps. he was shipped out to Pearl Harbor on a transport. Just before reaching port, Pearl Harbor was attacked and they safely returned to San Francisco. He was later stationed in the jungles of northern Australia until the war ended in 1945.
Upon his return to Santa Cruz he went back to work at his brother’s tire shop until 1950 (which had moved to Water St).
In 1949 He was married to Ethel at Calvary Episcopal Church in Santa Cruz. Together, they then built a house on 38th Ave. where they lived until their first child was born. In 1951 Carl decided to go into business on his own and opened Holser's Tire Service. In 1952 he bought property across the street on Capitola Road and built a new home next to the business where the rest of the six children were born and raised.
In 1964 catastrophe struck when the tire shop was completely destroyed by fire. With only partial insurance coverage and six children to raise, Carl faced one of the toughest challenges of his life. After a lot of hard work, a new building was erected and business returned to normal.
After he retired in 1984, Carl and Ethel enjoyed going to their summer cabin at Priest Lake, Idaho until Ethel passed away in 1995 after 45 years of marriage. Since then Carl stayed busy gardening, visiting his grandchildren and making cut-outs to place in front of the tire shop celebrating holidays for passing motorists to enjoy.
Carl was a wonderful husband, a great father and good friend to many. A cheerful and caring person, he will be missed by all who knew and loved him.
Carl was preceded in death by his brother Zola and his two sisters, Gertrude and Alma. He is survived by his six children, Larry Holser, Aptos, Carl E. Holser, Hawaii, Douglas Holser, Aptos, Sherrill Holser, Santa Cruz, Stephen Holser, Santa Cruz and Barbara Gillis, Florida; ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; one niece and one nephew.