Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that professor Bruce Holle died Nov. 1. He died Dec. 1. The error has been corrected. We regret the error.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Many students and faculty members are mourning the loss of a History Professor at the University of Kentucky, who passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 1 from complications of COVID-19.
What You Need To Know
- Retired UK History professor Bruce Holle died Dec. 1 from complications of COVID-19
- Holle taught for 45 years, finishing his career at UK where he retired in October
- He taught more than 10,000 students through his career
- Former students and members of the UK community mourn his loss
Bruce Holle taught for 45 years — starting his career at the University of Michigan, getting his Ph.D in 1978, and finishing his teaching career at the University of Kentucky where he retired in October.
Within Dr. Holle’s 45 year of teaching, he taught more than 10,000 students.
The University of Kentucky released a statement about the loss of their UK colleague saying “The institution lost a dear colleague in Professor Bruce Holle. He was treasured by his colleagues and students, across decades, as a teacher, mentor and friend prior to and after his retirement last spring. He will be dearly missed. Our thoughts are with his family,” Jay Blanton, UK spokesperson said.
Mary Steele, a former student, said having a class with Dr. Holle was basically a right of passage for the students at the University and he will be missed by many people in the community.
“He was very funny. And he demanded a lot from the students, but at the same time he totally had your back. And that I feel like that's what made a lot of people, so invested in his classes,” Steele said.
Steele said Dr. Holle was one teacher that always pushed his students to do their best — because of that, he was a professor that left a lasting impression on her life.
“They were some of the hardest classes to take in the history department. And just because of the rigor of everything that you had to do, but he cared. He came across very gruff in the classroom but if you paid attention or especially if you went to office hours, he was invested in every single student,” Steele said.
Dr. Holle created bonds with his students and his faculty members over the years at the University of Kentucky and it was that bond that Steele says helped her through classes and motivated her to follow in his footsteps.
“For me I was also first-gen student which created like a big bond there, but having someone like that was, you know, we say it's an inspiration, but it's, you can watch someone who didn't come from a lot, be that kind of like that beacon of success and he would pull everybody else up with him,” Steele said.