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Dr. Frank L. “Sonny” Holt died October 25 at his home in Leeds.  Sonny was born in Atlanta on December 15,1934, spent his early childhood in Birmingham, and grew up in Selma.   His parents were Franklin Holt and Martha Lundy Holt.

Sonny graduated from A.G. Parrish High School and the University of Alabama, where he was captain of the golf team and a member of the Kappa Alpha Order. He graduated from the University of Alabama School of Dentistry in 1961.

After serving in the U.S. Air Force as a dentist at Tyndal Air Force Base, Sonny returned to Birmingham and taught at the Dental School for 25 years.

Sonny began playing golf at the Selma Country Club at a very young age.  He won the Alabama High School Championship in 1953 and the Alabama State Amateur Championship in 1955.  He was a member of the Birmingham Country Club and Shoal Creek Club. He won his first golf trophy at the age of 13 and his last one in 2005 at the age of 70.

Sonny was a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society for more than 50 years.  He sang in choruses and quartets in the Birmingham area, and was a member of the Voices of the South Chorus at the time of his death.  He also sang in many church choirs in the Birmingham area.

Sonny was preceded in death by his first wife, Emily Yow Holt, and his sister, Marty Holt Frasier.  He is survived by his wife, Janet Hughes Holt,  and her children: Mark “Bruno” Hughes (Melinda Adkins); Lynn Hughes Spires (Spin); Wesley Hughes (Catherine); grandchildren: Jennifer Hughes, Jameson Hughes (Nancy), Amelia Adkins, Kendal Spires (Thomas Segall-Shapiro), Carter Spires (Erin Dahlstrom), Ann Casey Hughes and Molly Hughes; and great- granddaughter: Margot Hughes.    He is also survived by his sister-in-law Nancy Yow Duke and Emily’s nieces and nephews, whom he considered to be his family.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 28, at Highlands United Methodist Church in Birmingham, with visitation at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary and a  service to follow at 11 a.m.  Graveside Service  will be at New Live Oak Cemetery in Selma at 3:30 p.m.  Memorial donations may be made to Community Ministries at Highlands United Methodist Church, 1045 20th St., South, Birmingham 35205, or to a charity of your choice.  Services are under the direction of Ridout’s Valley Chapel (205-879-3401) in Homewood.