Rev. Fr. William Holt
Visitation:
Thursday
September 21, 2023
4 PM - 7PM
Location:
St. Vincent de Ferrer Church
869 Lexington Ave
New York, NY 10065
Funeral Mass:
Friday
September 22, 2023
10 AM
Location:
St. Vincent de Ferrer Church
869 Lexington Ave
New York, NY 10065
Father William Alexander Holt died suddenly in Ireland, one day after concelebrating the wedding of a family member of the late Fr. John McGuire, O.P. He is survived by his sisters, Kathleen McGurk, Michelle Holt Wyatt, and Maureen E. Frain, and his brothers Robert M. Holt, Thomas J. Holt, Michael B. Holt, and many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.
Father Holt was born in Jersey City, NJ on December 18, 1941, the oldest of seven children of William Alexander and Grace Marie (née Donohue) Holt. He attended grade school at St. Peter’s and St. Joseph’s schools in Jersey City and first met Dominicans attending Dominican Camp in Staatsburg, New York. In 1959, he graduated from St. Michael’s High School in Jersey City. After a couple of years working in New York City, he entered the novitiate of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph in Somerset, OH as a cooperator brother, and making his first profession on November 27, 1962. During his time as cooperator brother, he had the religious name Bonaventure.
He was then assigned to the Dominican House of Studies, where he worked in the laundry until 1964, when he became the procurator’s secretary. In 1966, he joined the province’s mission in Chimbote, Peru, where he ran a retreat house and served as the community’s procurator. In 1968 he returned to the United States to enroll as a student, first at Providence College, and from 1969-71 at St. Stephen’s College in Dover, MA.
After returning for a year to the cooperator brothers’ community at the Dominican House of Studies, Brother Bonaventure determined that his vocation was really to the priesthood. He withdrew from the Order and enrolled at the Pope John XXIII Seminary in Weston, MA for the Diocese of Norwich. After four years of study there, he was ordained to the priesthood at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Norwich, CT, by Most Reverend Daniel P. Reilly, on May 8, 1976.
Father Holt served as a priest of Norwich, first as parochial vicar at St. Mary’s Church in New London, CT, from 1976 to 1978 and then at St. Bernard’s Church in Rockville, CT from 1978 to 1982.
Desiring to return to the Order, Father Holt was accepted to the novitiate at St. Stephen’s Priory in Dover, MA, and made simple profession on August 15, 1982. He was assigned for parochial ministry to Holy Name Church in Philadelphia from 1982 to 1984, to St. Catherine of Siena Priory in New York City for hospital ministry from 1984-1985, and finally to nearby St. Vincent Ferrer Priory as Assistant Director of Development for the province. There, he made solemn profession on August 15, 1985.
In 1986, Father Holt was made director of Dominican Camp, then in operation for seventy-five years, to oversee the final year of its operation. In 1988, he was assigned as parochial vicar to St. Gertrude Priory in Cincinnati, and in 1992 to Sacred Heart Priory in his native Jersey City. He returned to St. Gertrude in 1993, where he was elected prior and appointed pastor in 1997.
In 1999, Father Holt was sent to St. Mary Priory in New Haven, CT, to be director of the Shrine of the Infant of Prague. He was subsequently elected prior and appointed pastor there in 2001. In 2008, he was elected prior of St. Vincent Ferrer Priory in New York City, and in 2011 was appointed as pastor at Holy Innocents Church in Pleasantville, NY. He returned to New Haven to assist the ministry of St. Mary Priory in 2015, and finally to St. Vincent Ferrer Priory in 2017 where he undertook the project of, as he said, making his old age pleasing to God.
Father Holt had the gift of speaking wisdom entertainingly: “helpful hints from Holt” were a standard feature of his conversations with brothers in formation. He had a habit of engaging people passing by his door; as he said in an interview for America magazine (October 6, 2022), “I stand on the porch and I meet the world. …I want (people) to come into church. …They have to experience silence in church….Silence taught me to listen, because I’m a great talker. I would talk the handle off that door. But silence is a great thing.”
Father Holt’s body will be received at the Dominican church of St. Mary in Claddagh, Galway, near where he passed away, on Saturday, September 16, with a requiem Mass celebrated by Rev. Pat Lucey, O.P. After his casket is returned to the United States, his body will be received at the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer at 4:00pm on September 21. The Office of the Dead will be prayed that evening and the following morning. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00am September 22 with Very Rev. Allen Moran, O.P., prior provincial, presiding and Rev. James Quigley, O.P. preaching the homily. Following this funeral Mass, his body will be buried in the Dominican section of All Souls’ Cemetery in Pleasantville, New York.
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Loeva Bernard passed away peacefully on February 21, 2026, at the age of 96. She was born in Cottonwood Falls Kansas on September 12, 1929. She was preceded in death by her husband Arther Bernard and her brother, Charles F. Klamm and his wife Carol J. Klamm and a nephew Daniel E. Klamm. She is survived by her nephews David L. (Regina) Klamm and Kenneth G. (Trish) Klamm and her niece Kaylene S. (Charles) Campbell, plus many great nieces and nephews. She was a dearly loved friend of Lee Wolpert. She will be deeply missed and remembered fondly by all those who knew her.
Barbara Lane 1939 – 2026 Barbara Lane passed away peacefully on the morning of February 11th 2026 at the age of 86. Born on September 30th, 1939, at the Polyclinc Hospital, Barbara was a lifelong resident of New York City’s Upper East Side. She was raised alongside her sister Joanne under the loving guidance of her mother Dorothy and her father Edward. She learned her love of culture, refinement and the art of presence from her father Eddie and she gained her strength and grace from her mother and best friend Dorothy. Barbara also cherished her beloved sister, Joanne Elizabeth Kauper, whose strong bond and lifelong friendship was a central part her life. After attending Lady Cliff College Barbara worked for Columbia Presbyterian Hospital before beginning a long and distinguished career at the Waldorf Astoria Towers. She was often referred to as “the face of the towers” and served as a gracious host and confidant to celebrities, world leaders and stewards of industry. What defined Barbara was her ability to make every guest feel valued and genuinely important regardless of prominence or position. Barbara cherished her lifelong friendships with her colleagues that were not only based in camaraderie but represented their loyalty and genuine affection for each other. Barbara was well known for her calligraphy. The Waldorf often commissioned her for this exceptional talent. This skill reflected her precision, artistry, and impeccable standards. Her professional life later continued in the world of fine art and hospitality at Christies Auction House where her appreciation for beauty and detail remained a constant and she developed important lasting friendships with her colleagues. Barbara was a devoted daughter, sister, aunt, loyal friend and a woman of deep Catholic faith. Barbara is survived by her sister‘s husband G Gerard Kauper, her nieces and nephews Lane Elizabeth Kauper Peterson, Gabrielle, Khristina, Gerard, Nicholas, George, Edward, Joseph and Christian Kauper, Chelsea Wolf, Whitney Peterson, Yanory Valerio, her great-niece's Genevieve Peterson, Cassandra Robinson and great-nephew’s George Peterson, Justin, George, Gavin, Nicholas and Anthony Kauper.
Linda Baylis-Mallia, of Manhattan, New York, passed away peacefully on February 17, 2026, at the age of 79. Born on September 9, 1946, in New York City, she was a proud New Yorker through and through. Linda earned her undergraduate degree from City College of New York and her master’s degree from Columbia University, before going on to build the Baylis-Mallia Group. Linda approached life with curiosity and style. She loved traveling the world, exploring New York City’s newest galleries and restaurants, and, of course, shopping at Bloomingdale’s. She is survived by her devoted husband, Anthony. Linda will be remembered as a true New Yorker and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.
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Jacqueline (Niego) Turner of Manhattan, New York, passed away peacefully on January 27, 2026, at the age of 88. Born on March 4, 1937, in the Bronx, she was the beloved daughter of Olga and Joseph Niego. A proud New Yorker through and through, Jacqueline built a life defined by devotion—to her family, her faith, and her work. After graduating from Cathedral High School in New York City, she spent over three decades serving the United States Government with dedication and professionalism before continuing her career in the private sector with more than two decades at Bristol Myers Squibb. Her strong work ethic and commitment to excellence earned her the respect of colleagues across the years. In 1994, Jacqueline married Nicholas Turner, with whom she shared a deep faith and a love of dancing until his passing. Together, they made their home in Manhattan, where Jacqueline lived for the remainder of her life. Jacqueline was a lifelong and active member of the Catholic Church, serving faithfully as a lector for many decades. Her voice, presence, and reverence were well known and cherished within her parish community. Outside of work and church, Jacqueline was an avid New York Yankees fan, and she found great joy in ballroom dancing— a passion that brought her friendship and movement. Jacqueline is survived by her loving sister, Maureen Selskis, and by her many nieces and nephews: Joseph Niego, Michael Niego, James Niego, Kathleen Lawson, Patrick Callahan, Jeanne Confehr, Jacqueline Selskis, Mary Carney, and Albert Selskis. She was a devoted and cherished aunt, great-aunt, and great-great-aunt, and she leaves behind many great-nieces and great-nephews and great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews who will forever hold her memory close. She is preceded in death by her siblings Joseph Niego, Nora Niego and Victoria Callahan, whom she loved dearly. Jacqueline will be remembered as a devoted wife, daughter, sister, aunt, great-aunt, and great-great-aunt; a woman of faith; a loyal friend; and a true New Yorker who will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
June 28,1932—January 15, 2026 New York City, New York
