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Recreation
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City of Roswell
P.O. Drawer 1838
Roswell, NM 88202-1838
(505) 624-6700
Fax: 624-6889 |
THE LEISURE INCIDENT
"A Tribute to Diane Holdson, CLA"
October 7, 2025
Kim Elliott, CLP
Recreation Director
City of Roswell
Remembering the past is an important part of the Leisure Incident! It is as Howard S.
Braucher says, "Recreation is not only for the time. Recreation is forever
afterward. Each person has his memory chest." The quality of our present Leisure
Incident is dependent upon the memories of past Leisure Incidents. The quality
of our future Leisure Incidents and Life itself are dependent upon what we
do now!
In our memory chests are the memories of people who helped lots of individuals have
positive future experiences. One of those individuals was Diane Holdson, former Recreation
Supervisor of the Roswell Adult Center from 1984 - 1999.
I first met Diane Holdson in 1981 when I was the Recreation Program Director for Pecos
Valley Village, Roswell, NM. She did not live in Pecos Valley Village but had asked if she
could participate in some of our art classes and activities that we were offering the
community. "Yes", was the answer and that was the beginning of a friendship.
Later, when a position with the City of Roswell was advertised, I had the opportunity
to move from Pecos Valley Village to the City of Roswell in the Parks and Recreation
Department to head up the Recreation Division. It was not too long afterward that a need
was seen for someone to help the Memorial Recreation Center (now the RAC) Director, Mrs.
Kathryn Lepard. Diane was chosen to be the assistant in March of 1984 and when Mrs. Lepard
retired after many years of service to the community in October of that same year, Diane
was the natural choice to take her place.
She served faithfully at the Roswell Adult Center from 1984 till her passing in
September of 1999.
She will be missed!
Diane was a true professional in her dealings with the Recreation Department. It was
evident that from the very beginning, she was extremely capable in overseeing the
operation of the Roswell Adult Center. As the Department Head, I knew that she could be
given an assignment and it would be carried out with a minimum of supervision or
instruction.
She was the type of employee that every supervisor desired to have on staff. Diane took
the opportunity to better herself. She was always learning about herself and her job.
Realizing that education and training were important, she took advantage of attending
professional training opportunities through the Department and took classes at ENMU-R.
Membership lists in the New Mexico Recreation and Park Association (NMRPA) and the
National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) had her name listed as a current member.
Knowing that sometimes it is important to compromise in order to move forward, she was
not hesitant to work with individuals and groups of differing opinions. At the same time,
the hard decisions could be made when necessary, which she did.
She did not please everyone, but who can? If a situation arose in which it was evident
that both sides were too far apart for a workable solution or compromise, she chose what
she felt to be the best course of action and proceeded. Time after time, her decisions
proved to be beneficial to the RAC and the Department.
Diane had the opportunity to work with several "assistants," or Recreation
Leader II's while at the RAC. Mona Kirk-Vogel, Margot Purdy, Marjorie Rymer, Dolores
Olivares, Heidi C. Sims, Gladie Guzman, and Shelia McKnight all worked with Diane as
"assistant". Heidi and Gladie have both moved up in the Department and both kept
close ties with Diane and the operation of the RAC.
Steve Allen said, "A smile happens in a flash, but the memory of
it can last a lifetime." Diane's smile was there through both hard times with
her family, work and finally her own health.
We know that she is still smiling today. Why shouldn't we?
Yes, she will be missed! Yes, it will be difficult to fill her shoes! Yes, we will
carry her memory with us for a lifetime!
Yes! Life does go on!
Goodbye Diane. Rest assured that we will continue to try and make all our Leisure
Incidents worthwhile knowing that it is Parks and Recreation that make life worthwhile.
Parks and Recreation - The Benefits are Endless...TM
