A native of Butler, Pennsylvania, Holiday trained with the University of Michigan's Hall of Fame swimming coach Matt Mann, a British Empire Champion swimmer in his youth.

While still in high school at Mercersburg Academy, Holiday attended Mann's Camp Chickope for several summers in Northern Ontario, near Burk's Falls, which focused on swimming skills.

[3][4] In February 1941, coached by John Miller, he led the Mercersburg Academy swim team to victory against the Penn State Freshman and set a pool record in the 100-yard backstroke of 1:01.5.

[5] As a Senior in March 1941, earning the most creditable time of the meet, he led Mercersburg to their second U.S. Prep School Championship, swimming backstroke in a winning medley trio.

[7] Equally outstanding in academics, Holiday was one of only ten Mercersburg area preparatory students of the Class of 1941 initiated into the Cum Laude National Honor Society.

[11] He also broke the world record in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 57.3 seconds, won the 50-yard freestyle, and swam the winning leg of the 300-yard medley relay.

[17][18] In his first two months of varsity competition, Holiday broke two of Adolph Kiefer's world records, lowering the 100-yard backstroke mark to 57 seconds and the 200-meter standard to 2:22.9.

[24] As a Senior, Holiday was named captain of the Michigan team and led them to the NCAA National Championship meet held at Ann Arbor.

"[27] He often called on the federal government to verify that steel imports were legal, and, nearing an economic downturn in 70s, he strove for Armco to diversify its production.

[28] Holiday retired from Armco in January 1986 and later served as a director for Adience, Inc., NBD Bank, N.A., ASARCO Incorporated, and Birmingham Steel Corp.[29][30] In 1998, as Armco fell on hard times, Holiday and the company's other retired executives successfully sued to restore life insurance benefits granted under a plan that was supposed to last their lifetimes.

[27] Edith E. Holiday, an attorney and former General Counsel to the Department of the Treasury and later Assistant to the President and Secretary of the Cabinet under George H. W. Bush, is a member of several corporate boards including Heinz, Hess, Franklin Templeton Funds, White Mountain Insurance and Canadian National Railways.