Ashland - Thomas Irvin Holbrook, 78, was delivered into the arms of his Savior Sunday, June 22, following battles with heart disease, recent falls and cancer. He's now more alive than he has ever been, and his family couldn't be more grateful for God's grace. Tom was born Sept. 4, 1946 in Tacoma, Wash. to James Taylor "JT" Holbrook and his former wife. JT rescued both Tom and his sister Karen from a bad situation there, bringing them back to Kentucky fully intending to raise them alone if need be. But God intervened and introduced Bernice Miller, who became wife to JT and the only mother Tom and Karen ever knew. Tom was blessed with four more siblings to love and be loved by for a lifetime: Tim, Jim, John and Cindy. Tom graduated from Hitchins High School in Carter County and became a medic in the U.S. Army, later serving in the Kentucky National Guard. He went on to work at Armco Steel (later AK Steel) in Ashland for more than 30 years. He met and married the love of his life, Karen Jean Kanouse, in March 1974, becoming dad to her two young children, Steven "Steve" and Leighann. A daughter, Tonia, was born three years later. Karen and Tom raised their children in and around Ashland, Ky., but later lived in Lexington and Nicholasville. He spent his last five months in Louisville. Apart from his devotion to his family, Tom's life was marked primarily by his love for God, although he also had slight obsessions with Corvettes, radio-controlled airplanes, Mt. Rainier and driving a little too fast most of the time. Tom joins his father JT, wife Karen and their son Steve Bell in their heavenly home, but he leaves behind a family to cherish his memory: his mother, Bernice Holbrook of Ashland; sisters Karen Young and Cindy Shelton of Ashland; brothers Jim Holbrook of Nashville, Tenn., Tim Holbrook of Winchester, John Holbrook of Dallas, Texas; daughters Leighann Daniel (Rob) of Omaha, Neb. and Tonia Johnson (Aaron) of Louisville; grandchildren Crystal May (Vince), Peyton Daniel, Katie Johnson, Adam Johnson and Nora Johnson; and great-granddaughters Myla Nash and Sadie May. The family would like to thank the staff at StoryPoint senior living in Louisville for the loving care they gave Tom in the final leg of the race he's now finished. Our hearts are heavy but so full of gratitude. Friends and family are invited to celebrate Tom's life at 12:00 PM Saturday, June 28, 2025 at Steen Funeral Home's 13 th Street Chapel, at 3409 13 th Street in Ashland. Entombment alongside Karen will follow at Rose Hill Burial Park. The family will receive friends from 11:00 AM until 12:00 PM Saturday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made to www.steenfuneralhome.com