It was the perfect fall weekend to travel into Happy Valley to get together with friends and family, including my two oldest children, as it was “Family Weekend” at Penn State. The leaves were changing colors, the sun was shining brightly, only a few wispy clouds were in the sky and a cool breeze was whistling through the hills and valleys of Central Pennsylvania. It was also a bittersweet weekend given our objective of attending my friend Tim Holdcroft’s Celebration of Life service.
Just a month ago, we lost a great husband, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin, work colleague, coach and friend in Tim Holdcroft. To honor Tim, I wrote a column back in August entitled “God Just Doesn’t Make Them Any Better Than Our Friend Tim.” I hoped to tell the community all about what a wonderful person Tim was and all the lives he touched in his 62 years. What I realized after attending his Celebration of Life at the State College Alliance Church on Oct. 18 was that my column simply didn’t do his memory justice.
I am so grateful that a couple years ago I had the chance to tell Tim in-person that he was one of the greatest human beings I had ever known. I know it meant a lot to him but in his incredibly humble way he immediately tried to turn the compliment back on me. I said, “No Tim. I really mean it. In all of my travels, I don’t know that I have come across a better all-around person in my life,” I remember telling him that as we were sitting down unlacing our skates after a hardy skate on his outdoor backyard rink where we played for so many years. I will never be able to skate outdoors and not think of Tim. I will never walk into Pegula Ice Arena and not think of Tim. I will never be at another alumni weekend and not think of him. I will never be able to have golf outings with our common friends and not think of Tim.
How loved was Tim Holdcroft? The Celebration of Life service started at 1 p.m. with several hundred in attendance. At 4 p.m., the last person ventured up to the podium to speak about Tim, and the numbers gathered had hardly changed. The speakers included former work colleagues, coaches who coached Tim or coached with Tim, former teammates and, of course, family members. Personally, I was overcome with emotion when Tim’s daughters, Jessalyn and Jill, went to the podium together to honor their father.
A number of speakers, including his sons, Steven and Robbie, friend Bob Beaury and Tim’s longtime friend Pastor Dan Nold, who led the service, spoke passionately about Tim’s time on earth and what a great man he was in every phase of his life. They also mentioned how hard it was trying to make sense of Tim’s passing. How could such a godly man be taken to heaven just as he was entering the prime of life here on earth? Tim just retired this past January, having completed a 37-year career with Xerox. It was time to enjoy being with his loving wife, Michele, his four children, his six grandchildren and his extended family and friends.
If I may be so bold, I think I may know why, at least in part. By the Lord taking Tim from this world, it brought hundreds of people together to hear of Tim’s love of the Lord. Everyone acknowledged his example as a husband, father, grandfather, best friend, coach and employee. But the part that stood out most to me, was his always enthusiastic and unashamed devotion to his lord and savior Jesus Christ. Perhaps his example will inspire some of the people in the room to embrace the Lord for the first time. Perhaps it will reignite the desire to recommit to the Lord in others. Maybe it will motivate others to become more inquisitive about discovering the joy of devoting their lives to our savior.
It also brought friends and family together from around the country, including many of his former State College Youth Hockey and State High players and assistant coaches. It included many of his former Penn State teammates and head coach Jon Shellington, and his NHL (Nittany Hockey League) teammates and even competitors.
During a short intermission in the service, I met Craig Fitzpatrick, Tim’s cousin, who called Tim “My protector.” Craig was born with hearing and speech challenges. Tim’s son Robbie texted me, “Craig would get picked on in grade school. My dad would stick up for him because he was his cousin. I always thought that was a cool story because even at a young age, my dad was doing the right thing and sticking up for somebody rather than going along with the crowd.”
The service included videos of Tim playing with his children and grandchildren (watch them here) and the scenes filled the room with laughter and tears of joy. When Tim’s great friend Dan Saftig closed the service with a prayer, I looked at my phone to see it was after 4 p.m. The room was still packed, and I know that others felt the same as me, that we wished it could just go on and on because we all simply adored Tim.
On Saturday night, a number of us who attended the service went to the Penn State men’s hockey game and a majority of the conversation was about how much we enjoyed the service and how spot on and appropriate it was as a way to celebrate Tim’s life. I felt almost guilty being at the game after such a moving ceremony, but knowing Tim, he would have loved all of us getting together at a PSU hockey game.
On Sunday morning, I joined my two oldest children and one of my best friends from hockey, Clark Dexter, a former Penn State teammate of both mine and Tim’s, and we went golfing at Toftrees where Tim was a member. As our good friend Bob Beaury said during the service, “Tim’s favorite spot in all of Centre County was sitting on the wall on the eighth tee box looking down the fairway.” It’s especially beautiful at this time of the year when the fall foliage is at its peak. So, to honor Tim’s memory, we snapped a picture of that exact view. After the round, we stopped for lunch at The Field, where we ran into a number of members who expressed sadness at the loss of their golfing friend.
It’s never easy to lose a loved one or a good friend. But, losing some of them obviously hits us harder. I’ve now lost too many friends in their late 50s and early 60s just when they should be enjoying the fruits of their labor. It’s not ours to question why, but I do think that God does have a plan. In the case of my friend Tim, I know his Celebration of Life ceremony will be such an inspiration to people to be a better spouse, parent, friend, work colleague, teammate and mentor to others.
I truly believe that God ordered up that perfect fall weekend in Happy Valley to remember our great friend. I will leave you with this incredible poem that was read at Tim’s service by long-time friend Leslie Saftig.
“In Your Hands” – a poem by Leslie Saftig, Aug. 22, 2025
In honor, homage and loving memory of Tim Holdcroft, prince among men who entered his heavenly life.
Lord, I lost a dear friend today. Suddenly, Shockingly.
In the prime of life. Just retired, ready to enjoy active leisure,
golf, cycling, hockey.
Serving and enjoying time with family and friends.
Well-earned fruits of faithful labor.
He’s gone. Not from our hearts, but gone.
From sight, from touch, from this earthly life, forever.
He’s with you now, Jesus, and we rejoice for that!
But gone from us here, where we loved him, enjoyed him,
played with him, worked with him, laughed with him,
made memories with him, lived life with him, built life with him, cherished him.
Lord, this didn’t surprise You. You had heaven’s party ready from long ago,
for him on this day. In your sovereign hands, he is safe.
Living, thriving, reuniting, celebrating, learning, rejoicing, praising.
And so, we, in your sovereign hands, though with aching hearts,
can rest, assured.
But oh, Lord, what a man You created!
He gave his heart every day, cheerfully, to all.
To encourage, help, teach, serve, care.
Always with a ready smile, bright eyes twinkling,
laugh lines crinkling at the corners.
It was his joy, and we loved him for it.
His goodness was always on display, cheering,
bringing light and delight.
Beloved Husband, Father, Papa.
Beloved Son, Brother, Uncle, Cousin, Grandson.
Cherished friend, teammate, classmate, athlete, competitor.
Mission trip taker, breakfast sandwich maker.
Stellar hockey player, ice rink creator, mentor, coach,
business man, family man, God’s man.
Doing all with grit and will, often prowess!
Not pride, just joy in the doing. Determined to help.
Bringing and sharing joy, delight, exuberance, cheer,
Fellowship, brotherhood, and love. A constant, steady,
help at the ready. Presence.
Oh Lord, what a man!
Trusted, admired, respected, enjoyed, cherished.
Relied upon, appreciated, loved, beloved.
Completely irreplaceable.
So many lives left here to mourn his loss.
Deeply, achingly, bereft.
Profoundly, forever, sad.
And yet, Oh Lord, profoundly grateful
and glad we had the privilege of knowing him,
and basking in his love.
And, for some, profoundly grateful for your promise,
of the privilege of someday seeing him, laughing with him,
rejoicing with him, Again, alive and well,
Thriving, beyond time, forever, for eternity.
Oh Lord, please help us see, share, and be
glimmers of Tim and you. Until then, Amen.
