Chester H. Holmes Jr. “Sonny,” 76 of North Charleston, South Carolina, passed away on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
Born on October 27, 1949, in Greenville, SC, Sonny was the son of the late Esther Owens Holmes and Chester Henry Holmes.
Sonny graduated from Wade Hampton High School, class of 1967. Then, from The Citadel in 1971, Mike Company. He earned his Master of Divinity with Languages on May 15, 1982, and his Doctor of Ministry on December 15, 1990, both from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His ministry started with his ordination on June 1, 1980, at Woodland Baptist Church in Wake Forest, NC. He has served numerous churches in North and South Carolina over 34 years of pastoral ministry. After his retirement, he served many more as interim pastor. He retired as Lead Pastor of Northwood Baptist Church in North Charleston in 2014, with his last baptism there being his grandson, John Lewis Carpenter. He served as President of the South Carolina Baptist Convention in 2010 and with the South Carolina Baptist Convention as the Director of Pastoral Ministry. He also mentored many pastors throughout South Carolina. Sonny had a heart for other pastors, and through the years he has impacted many lives and families. His book, “Finish. Period.” was a great resource for many ministers. Sonny was a Trustee at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and also at Charleston Southern University. He also served as an adjunct professor at CSU. Sonny and Harriet have led several trips to the Holy Lands over the years, with the highlight being baptizing his mother in the Jordan River. After his retirement, Sonny and Harriet really enjoyed spending time together at Garden City Beach.
Sonny is preceded in death by his parents and his son, Brian E. Holmes.
Sonny is survived by his wife, Harriet Thomas Holmes; daughter, Elizabeth Holmes Carpenter (Scott) and grandchildren, John Lewis Carpenter and Laura Elizabeth Carpenter as well as his brother, Mike Holmes (Sally) and sister, Christie Williams (David).
The family will receive friends on Saturday, February 21, from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM at Northwood Baptist Church, 2200 Greenridge Road in North Charleston, SC. The funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, February 21, at Northwood Baptist Church, 2200 Greenridge Road in N. Charleston, SC. A private interment will be held at Dorchester Memorial Gardens at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Citadel Foundation for the Chaplain’s Discretionary Fund in memory of Chester H. Holmes, Jr., or Northwood Baptist Church.