Rick Dewayne Holland

Rick Dewayne Holland, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, passed away on March 12, 2026, at the age of 74. Born on September 12, 1951, in Amarillo, Texas, to Georgia Ruth (Ward) Widowski and Claude Widowski, he moved with his family to Coffeyville, Kansas, after his mother married Vernie Lee Holland in 1955. Rick graduated from Coffeyville public schools with the Class of 1969. As a paperboy for the Coffeyville Journal, he developed a lifelong passion for coin collecting that began when he was paid in buffalo nickels on his routes.

Rick enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1971 and served with distinction in Kansas, California, and Germany. He became an undefeated boxer for the Air Force, ultimately winning the Military in Europe championship, and also competed in weightlifting with the Amateur Athletic Union. Honorably discharged in 1978 as a staff sergeant, he remained a proud veteran who cherished memories of his service. While in the military, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Kansas Newman University in Wichita. He went on to build a long career in real estate, becoming a licensed broker and managing commercial properties in Tulsa from 1978 until 2025.

In 1980, Rick married Dee Driscoll, and together they raised two children, Kali and Matt. He took greatest pride in being called “Dad” and later “Grandpa Holland.” An active member of the Tulsa Corvette Club, he formed many close friendships and took special joy in his 1963 split-window Corvette. A devoted New York Yankees fan, he treasured baseball trips with his son Matt in his later years. Rick was also an enthusiastic collector of sports memorabilia, Native American art, and coins, which he assembled with great care over a lifetime.

He is survived by his daughter Kali Kotsar (Andrey), son Vernie “Matt” Holland (Whitney), grandchildren Brianna, Oliver, Elliott, Claire, and Palmer, brother Ike Holland (Leslie), sister Pam Anderson (Larry), and many loving nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Janet Lee Brown.