Deanna Lee Holmes

Deanna Lee Holmes, 88, of Greeley passed away on July 29, 2025. Deanna was born on January 31,1937 in Topeka, Kansas to Edward P. Holmes and Erma Mize.

Deanna attended public school in Topeka, graduating from Washburn Rural High School. She attended the University of Kansas. After raising her children, Deanna returned to school and received her Master’s in Psychology, Counseling and Guidance from the University of Northern Colorado.

During Deanna’s younger years in Topeka, she enjoyed riding her horse and participated in many rodeo’s and city parades. She was an avid writer and specifically enjoyed poetry. She had several of her works published. She married her high school sweetheart, William B. George in Topeka on February 3, 1957. They had a son, William (Billy) George and a daughter, DeAnn George.

Deanna was always interested in psychology and became involved with several agencies in Topeka. She was most proud of her association with the

Menninger Foundation Hospital where she studied under Ann Freud, Dr. Elizabeth Kubler Ross, Leo Buscaglia, Dr. Margaret Mead, and Dr. Robert Ellis. She was also involved with the startup of the Biofeedback program and the hospitals foundation “Carriage House Project” involving treatment for adult substance abusers. Deanna also worked at Winter Veterans Hospital (Topeka) and was involved with experiments using LSD to treat veterans experiencing PTSD and phantom limb syndrome.

In her free time in Topeka, she was active in playing softball and volleyball. She started the first women’s softball league in Topeka. She enjoyed teaching art classes involving painting, woodcarving, and floral arranging.

After the move to Greeley, Colorado in 1978, she remained active with several Greeley organizations which included the Women’s Resource Center, Weld County Sexual Assault Task Force, Residential Shelter for Battered Women, and Island Grove Detox Center. She also served on the Greeley Human Relations and Youth Commission Boards. She was also a member of the International Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team both local and internationally.

Deanna was thankful for her friends and family at First Congregational Church of Christ where she sang in the choir and was a member of the Church and Arts Board. Other organizations included the Questers Antique group, PEO, DAR- Centennial Chapter, and the Munro/Monroe Association of Scotland. She enjoyed tracing her linage and discovered a link to President James Monroe which she was especially proud of.

Deanna is survived by her husband, William Burton George, son, William Edward George, daughter, DeAnn George, granddaughter, Madeline Ilgen, and family friend angels, Heide Hillmann, and Judy and Joe Wilson. She is proceeded in death by her brother Ronald Holmes and her parents Edward and Erma Holmes.

Services for Deanna will be August 22, 2025 at 11am at First Congregational Church of Christ with a reception/lunch following the service. If you would like to honor Deanna during the service, please wear something purple as this was Deanna’s favorite color. The family also asks that instead of sending flowers, to make a donation to First Congregational Church of Christ as a way to honor Deanna.