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Greg D. Holtkamp

November 7, 1959 October 30, 2015
Greg D. Holtkamp
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Obituary for Greg D. Holtkamp
Greg Holtkamp (Gregory D. Holtkamp) died unexpectedly on October 30, 2015 at his home in Wrentham, Massachusetts.  He was 55 years old.
 
Greg is survived by his wife and best friend, Deb;  loving sister Lisa Newfrock (Joe) of Gloversville, NY;  cherished nieces and nephews Emily Scarpulla (Matthew), Kristina Howard, William Howard, Ryan Newfrock, and Zach Newfrock, as well as Makayla Nemec,  Mariah Nemec, and Miranda Nemec, children of brother-in-law Douglas Nemec (Amy) of Marshall, WI.  He also is survived by his in-laws, Robert Landon of Lancaster, WI and Barbara and Ronald Nemec of Hillsboro, WI, as well as a brother David of Cincinnati, OH.
 
Greg was born on November 7, 1959 in Cincinnati, OH to William and Jean Holtkamp (Benz), who preceded him in death.  He graduated from Glen Este High School in 1978 where he exhibited his leadership on the football field and as a member of the tennis team, as well as Student Council President.  He received his appointment to The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated in May 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering.   Before his Honorable Discharge from the Army in 1988 with the rank of Captain, Greg served as Platoon Leader, 1/23 Infantry, South Korea;  Platoon Leader, B Company 2/75 Infantry Regiment as part of the elite Army Rangers;  Commander, B Company 3/47 Infantry Regiment;  Commander, A Company 2/23 Infantry Regiment.  To the day of his death, he carried his Ranger coin and proudly showed it to anyone who expressed interest in that part of his life – Rangers Lead The Way!  His Army brothers and sisters were some of the closest and most important relationships of his life.
 
Following his military service, Greg built a career in Marketing and Restaurant Operations, working for some of America’s top companies including Leo Burnett Company, McDonald’s Corporation, and Dunkin’ Brands.  Throughout his life, Greg was fortunate to marry some of his personal passions with his career.  He led the marketing efforts for the Marlboro Indy Car race team while at Leo Burnett and later for the McDonald’s NASCAR and NHRA race teams.  Although Greg moved on to restaurant operations and marketing roles, he remained friends with many people from the racing community.
 
Greg met Deb while at Leo Burnett and worked with her once he moved to McDonald’s Corporation to manage the Motorsports Racing program.  They were married in Laguna Beach, CA on October 28, 1996 and recognized their 19th anniversary two days prior to Greg’s death.  They were the love of each other’s lives.
 
Greg long had a passion for cooking.  So, in 2012, Greg and Deb opened their own business, The Olive Tap, an imported olive oil and gourmet foods store in Providence, RI.   In recent years, Greg spent long hours in the store, working diligently to build the business.  He became a familiar face in the Wayland Square neighborhood and a leading voice in the Merchant’s Association.  He valued the team of young talent who came to work with him in the store and enjoyed sharing his knowledge and love of food with his customers. 
 
Greg also adored animals.  The neighborhood dogs that stopped to visit the store for treats and hugs from Greg will miss his playful, compassionate presence, as will Boris, Natasha, and Mercedes – his three furry feline children who looked forward to his arrival home each night.
 
For those of us who knew him, we have lost a man who was brave and tough enough to serve our country as an Army Ranger, yet who also had enormous capacity to love and nurture.  Nearly everyone who was fortunate enough to know him describes him as one of the most generous souls to grace the planet.  He was smart.  He was funny.  He was intense.  He was kind.  And most of all, he was loved.
 
Family and friends will join on Saturday, November 7th to remember our best times with Greg and to honor the man he was.  There will be a 10:00am Visitation and 11:00am Service at Monahan Drabble & Sherman Funeral Home, 230 Waterman Street, Providence, followed by a reception from 12:00-2:00pm next door at McBride’s Pub.
 
In addition, a special gathering will be held at The Olive Tap, 485 Angell Street, on Friday, November 6th from 6:00-9:00pm.
 
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Greg’s memory to the Gary Sinise Foundation (winner of the 2015 Thayer Award from the West Point Association of Graduates and the 2015 Doughboy Award on behalf of the U.S. Army Infantry) at garysinisefoundation.org or to Special Operations Warrior Foundation to support the families of wounded or deceased special ops personnel at specialops.org.
 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Greg’s memory to the Gary Sinise Foundation (winner of the 2015 Thayer Award from the West Point Association of Graduates and the 2015 Doughboy Award on behalf of the U.S. Army Infantry) at garysinisefoundation.org or to Special Operations Warrior Foundation to support the families of wounded or deceased special ops personnel at specialops.org.

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