Obituaries

Dennis Holt, Longtime Brooklyn Reporter, Dies at 77

Holt was a resident of Boerum Hill for more than 40 years.

Dennis Holt, longtime columnist and staff writer for The Brooklyn Eagle, died Thursday after suffering a serious fall.

He was 77 years old.

"He suffered broken ribs and a blow to the head, made worse by one of his medications, a blood thinner," wrote The Brooklyn Eagle on the loss of one of their own, calling Holt "the dean of Brooklyn reporters."

Find out what's happening in Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hillwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Originally from Kansas, Holt moved to Boerum Hill with his wife 40 years ago. He raised two children in the neighborhood, which he said grew exponentially better. But in those early years it was difficult, and at one point he was robbed.

"We had a break in," Holt told Patch in . "When the cop showed up he said, "What are people like you doing in a place like this?' I said 'We're crazy.'"

Find out what's happening in Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hillwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Crazy like a fox, as it turned out. Holt's decision to remain in Boerum Hill was prescient, as the neighborhood would eventually become .

Holt came to the Brooklyn Eagle in 1994, after serving many years as press advisor to a number of elected officials, including former Rep. Stephen Solarz. He was also one of the founding editors in 1972 of the now-defunct Brooklyn Phoenix newspaper. 

He covered the resurgence of Downtown Brooklyn "since the beginning." And despite being diagnosed with emphysema, a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in 2004, Holt continued to contribute to the Eagle family of publications until his death. He was the author of the "Brooklyn Broadside" column among other features. 

Holt is survived by his wife and two children. Memorial services are pending.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hill