By David Courtland and Carlos Garcia
Former Oxnard mayor and longtime optometrist Dr. Tom Holden has died. He was 71. Holden passed away early Monday morning May 26th, at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, where he was recovering from back surgery when doctors discovered he had pancreatic cancer.
“I appreciate all the good wishes and support from the community,” Dr. Lisa Knapp, his wife and partner in their optometry practice, said to VIDA Newspaper.
“Tom Holden was first and foremost an Oxnard patriot,” said former Oxnard mayor Tim Flynn, to VIDA Newspaper, who served with Holden on the council while Holden was mayor. “His heart and soul bled Oxnard.”
Flynn said Holden was ambitious about enhancing the city’s quality of life and economic growth.
“Although I did not always agree with his methods to get things accomplished,” said Flynn, “we worked together to wipe out graffiti and improve the city’s reputation.”
Former Oxnard mayor John Zaragoza recalled that when he was a county supervisor, he and Holden worked together to close a landfill near Ventura and Gonzales roads.
“He was a pretty good gentleman and councilman,” said Zaragoza, noting that he and Holden endorsed each other for supervisor and mayor. “He will be missed.”
Holden was on the city’s council for a total of 18 years, 8 of them as mayor. He decided to run for council after being disgusted by an encounter with a trashy public restroom.
Entering a March, 1993 special election held to replace Manuel Lopez, who had decided to run for county supervisor, Holden beat a dozen other candidates.
After nine-and-a-half years on the council Holden took some time off following his mother’s death in 2002, but returned to politics in 2004 as a candidate for mayor, making public safety a central plank of his platform.
During his tenure as mayor notable events were the approval of new housing developments, new commercial buildings, improvement of city roads, court-approved gang injunction in 2004; the former Halaco metals recycling plant on Perkins Road was designated a Superfund hazardous waste site in 2007; and voter approval of Measure O in 2008, a half-cent sales tax which Holden supported.
Despite criticism for micromanaging, Holden remained popular, winning both mayoral elections by landslides.
After deciding to retire from politics to spend more time with his family, Holden remained active in the community as a member of the St. John’s Hospitals Community Board and the Rotary Club.
He was also a past president of the Tri-County Optometric Society and former member of the Boys and Girls Club Board.
Holden was the son of Pat and Katherine Holden, who operated Pat Holden’s Liquor and Gift Shop from 1953 to 2005. He grew up in the G Street home his grandfather built in 1904.
He was a 1986 graduate of the Southern California College of Optometry in Fullerton, where he also completed a year as a clinical instructor in the contact lens department.
He is survived by his wife, Dr. Lisa Knapp, and three sons. Funeral services are pending.