08/20/2026
Nena Nadine Holder, 90, of Wichita, Kansas, passed away Monday, August 17, 2026. She was born July 3, 1936, in Anadarko, Oklahoma, to Sadie Mae (Law) James and Rudolph “Rudy” Burns James.
Nena was a strong-willed and resilient woman who lived life on her own terms. Raised as a military child, she moved frequently throughout the United States and abroad, experiences that helped shape her independence and resilience. Despite growing up in many different places, Kansas became home to Nena, and she was happy to spend her entire adult life there. She had a lifelong love of dogs and rarely went without one or more beloved companions to dote on.
Nena spent her career in the architectural and construction industry, working in Topeka, Kansas, for Keenan & Bradley, and later in Wichita as the office administrator for Steel Structures of Kansas and in the construction department at Boeing. She was also deeply involved with the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), volunteering her time to the organization for many years. She was passionate about educating others about the construction industry and encouraging more women to pursue careers in a field where she had built a career of her own. Her dedication to the industry and to supporting women in construction was an important part of her life.
Nena had three children: Cindy Clifton, Tammy Anderson, and Jamie Holder, who passed away in 1983.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Sadie and Rudy James; her sister, Mary Edna Neimi; and her son, Jamie Holder.
She is survived by her two daughters, Cindy Clifton (Dennis) and Tammy Anderson, as well as her grandchildren: Misty Shope (Fred), Jeremy Lindbloom (Kim), Travis Clifton (Chandra), Taylor Anderson (Jessy), Megan Tener (Chris), Sarah Dorris (Scott), Ashley Sortini (Frank), and Kasey Kolleda (Aaron), along with many great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Greenwood Cemetery, 6231 W. 47th St. S., Wichita, Kansas.
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