Carmen Floy (Holt) Blair

Carmen was born in Blackduck Village (Beltrami County), Minnesota, on 22 Feb 1931. Carmen was the first-born daughter of Maynard Edward Holt (1906-1984) and Vaili Marie (Hill) Holt (1908-1995). 

Carmen was preceded in death by her two younger sisters, Dorothy Marie (Holt) Christensen(1932-2026) (Glenn) and Anna May (Holt) Rajanen (1940-2020) (Duane). Carmen was looked up to by both of her sisters all her life. 

Carmen received her Certificate of Attendance at the Evangelical Lutheran Sunday School on the 9th day of June 1945. Subsequently, Carmen was baptized at the home of her parents in Duluth, MN. Carmen graduated (10 Jun1949) from Central High School in Duluth, MN. She was in the Advanced A Cappella choir, and she enjoyed singing. However, she says she can’t carry a tune anymore. 

Carmen met her husband Ice skating; they dated and fell in love. She married Laurence T. Blair Jr. (Larry) (1930-2009) on 05 Aug 1949 at Highland Lutheran Church in Duluth, St. Louis County, MN. Not long after their wedding, Larry was drafted into the U.S. Army, and he was sent to South Korea; Carmen stayed stateside. 

Carmen and Larry are the proud parents of Laurence Edward (1955) (Diane), Jerry Louis (1956) (Ann), and Michael Kerry (1959) (Marcia). They moved to Northglenn, Colorado after the birth of their youngest son. They adopted their daughter as a newborn baby, Nancy Marie Barstow (1967) (Mark). She is the proud grandmother of Paul (Kris), Jason, Mark, Robert David (Maria), Marcus, Troy, Blair and Peyton. She is the great-grandmother of Tyler, Breanna, Layla, Zayne, Sayf, Brandie, Rehanna, Diana, Sadie, and Eden. 

Carmen's first job was at a 5-and-dime store; she was an Operator for the phone company and drove a school bus. Carmen and Larry were foster parents to multiple children from Adams County. Carmen loved fishing; she lived on a 5-acre farm in Broomfield; Gore Mountains; Scottsdale, Arizona; and San Felipe, Mexico. They liked traveling in their RV. She was a good seamstress and enjoyed knitting until the arthritis in her hands hurt so much that she had to give it up. Carmen was a great cook and baker. 

Carmen passed away on October 6th, 2026 in Thornton, Colorado.

Carmen will be greatly missed by all her friends and family. Carmen will be laid to rest next to Larry at Ft. Logan National Cemetery, 4400 W Kenyon Ave, Denver, CO 80236. 

At Carmen’s request, no service will be held. 

May she rest in peace.