It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Matthew (Matt or Matty) William Holmes, Jr., on December 18, 2025, in his home in Marathon, Florida, with his family by his side. Matty was 87 years old and married over 60 years to Beverly C. Holmes. The couple has three children, Jeannette Holmes, Nicole Maldonado with her spouse Omar Jr., and Matthew W. Holmes, III; six grandchildren, Thomas, Nicholas, Amy, Omar III, Madison (Matty), and Jadeyn; and three great-grandchildren, Ethan, Jase, and Zoe. Matt was also survived by his younger siblings, Carolyn Corbett, Peter Holmes, Mary Sue Kelly, and Patricia Dodd.

Matt enlisted in the United States Navy from 1956-59. After he was honorably discharged, Matt enrolled in the New York State Police Academy and served as a NY State Trooper. He retired early from the Troopers and relocated his family to the Florida Keys, where he opened the first bicycle shop in Marathon, Florida; and then went on to become a Divemaster and Captain of Halls Diving Center & Career Institute, spending the next chapter of his life on the open waters - fishing, instructing scuba-diving, and free-diving. Matty loved the ocean and retired as Captain of a dive-instructing vessel well into his seventies.

Please join the family to honor and celebrate Matthew Holmes, Jr. at Edward J. Ryan & Son Funeral Home, 3180 Bellevue Ave., in Syracuse on Monday, January 5, 2026 between 4pm and 6pm. Mass will be held at St. Patrick’s Church, 216 North Lowell Ave., in Syracuse, on Tuesday, January 6, 2025 at 10am, followed by a procession to Onondaga County Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery where Matt will be laid to rest with his wife Beverly.