Obituary: Michael W. Holmes
Michael W. Holmes, Retired South Portland Fire Lieutenant and Devoted Community Volunteer, Dies at 78
South Portland — Michael W. Holmes, a retired South Portland Fire Department lieutenant and longtime volunteer with the Willard Beach Fire Department, died on Friday, June 5, 2026, in Scarborough. He was 78.
Holmes was born in Framingham, Massachusetts, to Robert and Velma Holmes. He graduated from Algonquin High School in 1965 and went on to serve honorably in the United States Navy from 1966 to 1970, including duty in the submarine service. He received an honorable discharge on October 14, 1972.
Following his military service, Holmes joined the South Portland Fire Department in 1970, beginning a career that would span more than three decades. He earned an associate's degree in fire science from Southern Maine Technical College and rose to the rank of lieutenant before retiring in 1998.
His commitment to service extended well beyond his paid career. Holmes served as a volunteer with the Willard Beach Fire Department in South Portland from 1975 until the time of his passing — a span of more than 50 years. He also served on the board of directors of the Greater Portland Municipal Credit Union, now known as Evergreen Credit Union, from 1990 to 1993.
Holmes received several honors over the course of his life, including a VA Foreign Wars Certificate for Humanity, an Outstanding Heroism Award from the American Legion in 1979, and a Dedicated Service Award from the Cumberland County Fireman's Association in 1978.
On July 16, 1988, he married Patrice Cunningham in Cape Elizabeth. The couple shared 37 years of marriage.
Holmes is survived by his wife, Patrice Holmes of South Portland; his daughter, Paula, and her husband, Robert D'Andrea; his sister, Chris Holmes of Rhode Island; his brother, Greg Holmes of New York; his stepdaughter, Heidi, and her husband, Brad Mitchell; his stepson, Jeffrey Benoit, and Jeffrey's fiancée, Jazmyn; his sister-in-law, Ruthe, and her husband, John Ayres of New Hampshire; along with grandchildren and extended family and friends.
Visiting hours will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16, at Hobbs Funeral Home, 230 Cottage Road, South Portland. A brief service will follow at 1 p.m., with a reception afterward at the Hobbs Hospitality Center. A military burial is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Bay View Cemetery in South Portland.
