Former Myrtle Beach police officer left lasting impression on colleagues

William Jay Holder, a 25-year Myrtle Beach police veteran and shag champion, will be remembered for his compassion and enthusiasm for protecting the city, its visitors and residents, according to co-workers.

Jay Holder died Tuesday at Duke University Hospital in Durham, N.C., following an illness and will be buried Saturday following a funeral with a police escort and honor guard salute. He was 63.

“Without a doubt Jay probably loved this city and the community more than any other officer I’ve ever known,” Myrtle Beach police Lt. Doug Furlong said Friday. “In the time I worked with him on beach patrol and on the waterfront, he was so committed to making sure he represented the city and the police department at the highest level while making sure the job he had to do was No. 1.”

Holder retried after 25 years with the police department in June 2003, but continued to be active in the community and taught shag dance lessons in North Myrtle Beach, friends said. The North Wilkesboro, N.C., native was a former East Coast National Shag Champion.

“Jay was a smooth as silk. He always smiled and had a very soft touch on the dance floor,” said Mike Phillips, who began his police career within months of Holder at the Myrtle Beach Police Department in 1977. “I loved Jay just like a brother. This is very hard for me because this is losing a part of my life. I’m only dwelling on the good things. Jay was happy, engaged with life and people. He loved to go to work.”

Phillips said he worked side by side with Holder patrolling Ocean Boulevard between Ninth Avenue North and Third Avenue South on foot for several years. There were about 45 people working with the department at that time, Phillips said.

“Physically we were the same size back then. We both had dark hair, mustache and we looked a lot like,” Phillips said. “Jay lived to work. He loved being a police officer and he was good at it. Sometimes his heart got too big for it because he was very forgiving, but he did his job and did well.”

Holder was one of Furlong’s first supervisors with the department and he said “without a doubt he molded my career to what it is now, the lieutenant said.

“He made what can be a very, very difficult job, very rewarding. He had one of the biggest hearts,” Furlong said and noted Holder was one of the first officers to be assigned to patrol the beach. “Jay lived life large and just about everybody knew him. When Jay came and talked with you, you always left with a smile. I couldn’t have a better mentor in my career.”

Holder is survived by his daughter, Tierney H. Lucas (Kevin) of Elm City, N.C., his son, Jason Holder of Grand Forks, N.D. and his two grandchildren, Landon and Bailee Lucas. His fiancée Andrea Johnson. Two brothers, Keith Holder (Pamela) of Statesville, N.C., and Kenneth Holder of Lexington, N.C. and a sister Heidi H. Maust (Mike) of Troutville, Va.

Funeral Services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at McMillan-Small Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Ocean Woods Cemetery with honors provided by the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

Memorials can be made to Duke University Medical Center, c/o Leukemia Research, Durham, N.C. 27710. An online guest register is available at www.msfh.net.