Donna Holien, 82, of Granite Falls, died on Thursday, December 17, 2009 at Birchwood Hospice House in Hutchinson, surrounded by her family.
A celebration of her life was held Monday, December 21, at Wang Lutheran Church, rural Maynard, with Rev. Mary Hovland officiating.
Donna Holien was born May 31, 1927 in Rochester, to Niles and Lorraine (Maust) Campfield. She grew up at St. Louis Park, and graduated from St. Louis Park High School. Donna then attended Miss Woods College for Kindergarten Teaching and later took courses at Macalester College and the University of Minnesota at Morris. Donna taught kindergarten in Montevideo, Rice Lake, Wisconsin, and Cloquet.
On June 7, 1953 she was united in marriage to Walter Holien in St. Louis Park. This marriage was blessed with three children, Mary, Claire and Christopher. Donna and Walter lived on their family farm near Maynard, later moving to Granite Falls in 2007, and were blessed to share 55 years of marriage. Walter preceded her in death in 2008. Recently she had resided at Birchwood Hospice House in Hutchinson. She was an active member of Wang Lutheran Church where she had taught Sunday School for many years and enjoyed caring for others through the Befrienders Program. She was also a member of the Maynard Homemakers Club and American Legion Auxiliary. Donna loved to read and helped others by volunteering her skills with reading programs in Maynard. She also enjoyed traveling, music, theatre, and was a wonderful cook and homemaker. Her family time was most important in her life and she cherished the time she was able to spend with her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She will be dearly missed by the many lives she touched.
Donna is survived by her three children and their spouses: Mary Holien-Wig (Byran) Wig of Elko; Claire Woelfel (Glenn) Woelfel, of Dassel; and Christopher Holien (Patty) Holien of Sugar Land, Texas; her sister, Beverly Lippka (Rollin) Lipka of Eden Prairie; grandchildren: Matt (Becky) Woelfel, Holly (Jason) Schwanke, Chris (Kiza) Woelfel, Andrew Wig, and Adam Wig; her great-grandchildren: Kaden Woelfel, Carter Schwanke, and Mason, Abby, and Elly Woelfel; her two sisters-in-law: Evelyn (Bill) Underwood of Donnelly and Florence (Conrad) Larson of Willmar.
Donna was preceded in death by her parents; Walter’s parents, Christ and Clara Holien; brother, Robert Browne; sister, Jane Browne; sisters-in-law: Bertha Weisbrod, Gladys Hovda, and Helen Velde; and brother-in-law, Clifford Holien.
Memorials are preferred to Birchwood Hospice House of Hutchinson, Gillette Children’s Hospital, or Smile Train. Arrangements were with Dirks-Blem Funeral Service of Olivia.
