Don "Tot" Holmes, Courtesy
GOTHENBURG — Tot Holmes, devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and sports journalist went to rest with his Heavenly Father on June 1, 2025.
Born on December 23, 1931 to Don and Hazelle Holmes, Tot was a standout high school athlete at Gothenburg High School. He developed a love for sports, a love that was the foundation for his career.
Shortly after his graduation from high school, Tot was drafted into the U.S. Army.
Upon taking his station at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he returned to Gothenburg to marry the love of his life, Pauline Fickenscher, on June 7, 1953.
Tot and Perlie moved back to Gothenburg when Tot’s term of service was concluded, where they built a beautiful life filled with love, laughter, and a shared purpose. They were blessed with two children, Jay and Joni, who have also made their homes in Gothenburg, extending Tot’s legacy for generations.
Tot was a member of the American Lutheran Church in Gothenburg, where he was a Sunday School teacher and member of the Church Council.
An avid newspaperman, Tot wrote for the Gothenburg Times, the Tri-City Tribune, the North Platte Telegraph, and contributed to the Gothenburg Leader. His love of storytelling, statistics, and photography was evident through the coverage he provided in Dawson County and beyond. He was honored by the Nebraska Press Association for his efforts in sports journalism, and was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2018.
Tot’s love of baseball led him to start his own publication, The Dodger Dugout, the only independently owned, officially licensed publication through Major League Baseball. Tot published over 30 books about the Los Angeles Dodgers, including the annual Blue Book, Brooklyn’s Best, This IS Next Year (the story of the 1955 season) and Jackie 1947, a complete game-by-game story of Jackie Roninson’s signing, minor league appearance in 1946 and box scores and game reports of every game his first year in Brooklyn. An avid historian, he wrote books covering 100 years of Gothenburg Football and Track.
His remarkable career in journalism was second only to his tremendous role in the community.
He was a foundational part of the Gothenburg Little League program, and was instrumental in the success of the Gothenburg American Legion Baseball program. His mentorship extended far beyond the dugout for hundreds of baseball players throughout his 50 years in the dugout.
Tot is survived by his loving wife of almost 72 years, Pauline; son Jay and daughter-in-law Suzanne Holmes; daughter Joni and son-in-law Noel Jacobsen; grandchildren Sarah Jacobsen, Rebecca Jacobsen, Cassie Kinney, Kiel and Brooke Holmes, Kelsey and Brendan Kaintz, and Kyndal Holmes; great-grandchildren Jack Kinney, Evan Kinney, Raylin Steward, Rory Holmes, August Kaintz, Lena Waldron, and Collin Waldron. He also leaves behind an extended baseball family who cherished his mentorship, wisdom, and humor.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at the American Lutheran Church in Gothenburg with Pastor Doug Hjelmstad officiating.
Tot lived a life of purpose, passion, and deep community connection. His legacy will live on in the stories he told, the players he inspired, and the game he loved.
