Jimmy Don Holmes: Texas Roots Run Deep
My Texas Roots
Jimmy Don’s Texas connections trace back to the 1850s, when the region was still Comanche country. His mother’s side of the family, the Grusendorfs, immigrated from Germany during that time. Several later became Texas Rangers near Brenham—an important connection that makes his work creating metal art pieces for the Texas Rangers especially meaningful.
On his father’s side, Jimmy Don’s great-grandfather moved to the Waco area from Derosa, Mississippi in 1915 after Boll Weevils destroyed their cotton crop. Family records trace the Holmes line back to Phoenix G. Holmes, who married Nancy Donnelly in Woodville, Mississippi in 1837. With 11 children, the family grew large, leaving Jimmy Don with many cousins in the Crawford area.
In Mississippi, the family once farmed 500 acres of cotton. After two consecutive years of devastation from Boll Weevils, they lost land to the bank and ultimately sold what remained before moving to McLennan County, Texas. Letters from relatives in Waco encouraged them to settle near Crawford, where land was available for farming. This decision firmly rooted the Holmes family in Texas.
Texas is Home
For Jimmy Don, Texas represents far more than a place—it is home, heritage, and identity.
His maternal grandfather, Elmer Earl Grusendorf, was born in Waco in 1925 and passed away in 2012. A proud American, Elmer flew 31 missions over Germany during World War II. Though of German ancestry on both sides, he was deeply devoted to his country and to Texas.
As a child, Jimmy Don vividly remembers his grandfather sharing a passionate speech about patriotism, freedom, and American pride. At the end, Elmer placed a hand on his grandson’s chest and delivered the words that would stay with him forever:
“Always love America… but remember, you are Texan first.”
That moment left a lasting impression and permanently branded Texas on Jimmy Don’s heart.
How the Metal Sign and Metal Art Business Began
Jimmy Don’s journey into metal art began with his father, building steel fencing for farms and ranches—barbed wire, pipe fencing, cattle pens, gates, and entrances. From time to time, customers would request customized lettering for their gates, such as “Smith Ranch.”
In those early days, the process was slow and painstaking. Using an opaque projector, poster board, Sharpies, and soapstone, each letter had to be traced, cut by hand, and ground smooth with a hand grinder. Every piece was made from thick quarter-inch steel plate, and while the results were strong and durable, the process was time-consuming and exhausting.
The work improved when his father purchased a plasma table, but it was still far from efficient. During this period, Jimmy Don had stepped away to sell Chevrolet pickups, but in 1999, he returned to the family business as a partner. Together, they shifted their focus fully into metal art, building signs and designs with the tools they had. What once took over an hour to create could eventually be done in minutes as technology advanced.
A major turning point came in June 2021, when Jimmy Don purchased his first laser cutter. He describes the change as “going from a 1975 Chevy with no AC to a brand-new GMC Denali.” The precision, speed, and creative potential of the laser cutter transformed the business and opened the door to new possibilities.
What began nearly 30 years ago as hand-cut steel letters has grown into a full-time career and passion. For Jimmy Don, the design process—once the most difficult part—has become his favorite. Each project represents not just craftsmanship but meaning for the customers who commission it.
In March 2025, Jimmy Don will celebrate 25 years in the metal art business, a milestone that reflects hard work, resilience, and a true love for creating pieces that last.
