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FOLEY - Arthur Holk was a storyteller. Everyone who knew him agrees he could remember details like no other, and had a way of recounting events that was unmatched.

“He was an incredible man, he did so much for so many people and touched so many people’s lives,” said Holk’s longtime friend Honorable Judge Tim Russell. “He told us stories of things that we had not heard of before, he remembered things so well … Arthur could tell you where everybody used to live, where their farm was in Foley, even how many acres they had.”

Holk passed away at the age of 95 on Saturday, March 13 after suffering a major stroke on Thursday, March 11. It came as a shock to the community, many who had known him for years, who called him a friend or family. Though gone, his memory will forever live in Foley, the city he helped build and loved dearly.

“My wife Sandy and I were with him the Wednesday night before the Thursday of his stroke, so we were some of the last ones other than his caretaker to spend any length of time with him before it happened,” said Russell. “Before we left, Arthur made the comment that he had a wonderful life and he was so happy with all of it. It was so unbelievable. He had told us that before, but he said it the night before the stroke.”

And what a life he lived. Arthur Holk, named after his uncle, was born to Margaret and George Holk on Oct. 13, 1925 in the family’s original home located above the “Holk Grocery Store,” on the corner of Highway 59 and Highway 98 in Foley. The store was opened by George Holk in 1921, and once old enough Arthur Holk helped at the family business, making deliveries on his bicycle. The family also owned “The Magnolia,” a riverboat used to bring supplies, flour, sugar, and coffee from Mobile to Magnolia Springs. The boat travelled along the Magnolia River, a location that Arthur Holk loved.

George and Margaret had five sons, George “Buster,” Herbert, Arthur, Harvey and Floyd. When Arthur Holk was only five, the family was struck by tragedy when Margaret Holk passed away due to cancer. Eventually, George Holk remarried Eva Walker, and the two had three more sons, Fred, David and Richard.

“The entire Holk family played a big economic part in this area,” Russell recalled.

After graduating Foley High School in 1945, Arthur Holk went to Auburn University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Science in 1949. Russell remembered Arthur Holk, like many others at the time, would hitchhike his way to and from college. Many university students didn’t have vehicles of their own at that time, Russell said. During those years, Holk wanted to serve with the military during World War II.

“He wanted to serve, but he wasn’t physically able to,” Russell said. “So instead, he went to work in Barin Field. It was so big back then, about 7,000 between the civilians out there, and then later he worked at Brookley Field, so he did his part.”

Career-wise, Holk led a successful lifetime career in the insurance industry as the President/CEO of Baldwin Mutual Insurance Company and an Agent for State Farm Insurance. Until the end, Holk could be found most days in his Baldwin Mutual office. His entrepreneurial spirit and hardworking attitude have inspired many generations in the community, and left a lasting impression on the economy.

“Mr. Holk was a true icon of our local community,” said Marketing & PR Consultant Lindsay Schumacher. “His selfless philanthropy, dedication as a public servant, and monumental impact on the business community was second to none. He was a great visionary and was passionate about making South Baldwin County the very best it could be. Mr. Holk was always willing to share his information and was a walking historian regarding our region. His bright smile and impeccable storytelling will surely be missed. Mr. Holk left a legacy that will be felt for countless generations to come.”

Another lasting impression the Holk family has made on the community is through public service. When Arthur Holk was born, his father was serving as the fifth mayor of Foley. In 1952, Arthur Holk took the first steps to follow his father’s political footsteps when he was elected to the city council. He went on to serve for 20 years, before being elected Foley’s fifteenth mayor.

“I went to work for Mayor Holk as Foley City Administrator in 1992,” said Perry Wilbourne, retired Foley city administrator. “He had a great sense of humor and loved to tell and hear jokes, often with his friend, Dr. John Foster. (This isn't the time to share them.) Times spent with him are some of my favorite memories. When he went to out of town meetings, he liked fine hotels but the cheapest restaurant he could find. He guarded Foley's money as closely as his own. Mayor Holk gave me the chance to work with fine people among whom he was tops.”

Holk served 20 years as mayor, where he took further steps to shape Foley’s future for generations to come.

“One thing that I loved about him was that there was never a time when I called him that Arthur wasn’t there for me,” said Chief James Miller during Holk’s funeral. “He started out as my boss, but he ended up one of my best friends … He allowed me to become the first African American chief of police not only in Foley, but in Baldwin County. He allowed me to go places that I never would have gotten alone. I talked to people that I never would have gotten to talk to, I visited people that I never would have had the opportunity to visit, because of him.”

At the end of the day, after listening to Arthur Holk talk, and more, after listening to people who knew him talk on his behalf, one thing is left absolutely clear - he had a lot of love to go around. Love for family, for friends, for Foley, for Baldwin County. Holk believed in people and that they could make a difference. He instilled these beliefs in his family, who he loved dearly.

He and his late wife, Fannie Jo Holk, went on their first date to Fairhope in Dean Hanson’s brand new, red Dodge convertible in May of 1950. They were married that December at the old Foley Methodist Church on the corner of Laurel Avenue and Pine Street. Together they had two children, Frances and Andy. His family remembers Holk loved vehicles, especially Harley Davidsons, planes (prompting him to get his pilot’s license), and boats (he owned a Bertram boat named Frandy after his children).

“Foley is what it is today because of Arthur Holk,” Miller said during the funeral. “Foley really didn’t take off until Arthur Holk became mayor, and then things began to change. He would fight for Foley, he loved Foley, he loved Alabama … He was a storyteller that no one could match, and I’m going to miss him.”