Horseman Stephen H. Holley, 59, entered into rest on Tuesday (Oct. 22). Holley was a career employee of the United States Postal Service in Rochester, New York, but his true passion was racing Standardbreds.
While working full time at the post office, Holley also ran a racing stable for most of his adult life and would train his Standardbreds before work.
Holley got his driving and training license in 1979 and managed his own stock from 1980 until 2007. Besides racing overnight races in western New York, Holley also competed on the New York Sire Stakes Fair Circuit for many years.
Holley’s pride and joy was the Open pacer Say Goodbye (Kat Byrd-Rogers Doll), who had a career year for him in 1980 while winning eight races and taking a lifetime mark at Brandywine Raceway.
Holley was an affable individual who had a great love for life and was a friend to all who knew him both on and off the track and will be truly missed.
Stephen Holley was the son of Howard Holley and the late Pamela (Palermo) Holley; beloved husband of Paula (Stoecklein) Holley of Bergen; loving father of Christopher (Amanda) Holley of Pavilion, Stacy (Rob) Alcott of Pavilion, and Mark (Laura Mullen) Holley of Bergen; devoted grandfather of Logan and MacKenzie Holley, and Jesse Alcott; dear brother of Kevin Holley of Rochester and Donna Dellacruz of Brighton.
Visitation Friday 4-6 p.m. at the H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home, 51 S. Lake St., Bergen, New York. Memorial Service to follow at 6 p.m. Interment will be at Mt. Rest Cemetery in Bergen. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the American Stroke Association, P.O. Box 3049, Syracuse, New York. Condolences can be made a www.bataviafuneralhomes.com.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Stephen Holley.
(Batavia Downs)