John Holm

John F. Holm, age 84, of Atwater, died Sunday afternoon, August 31, at Rice Therapy Suites in Willmar.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, September 5, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Atwater. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Thursday, September 4, at Peterson Brothers Atwater Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church. (www.petersonbrothers.com)

John Franklin Holm was born to Ben and Ethel (Carlson) Holm on March 11, 1930 in Atwater, Minnesota. He grew up in Atwater, was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church and graduated from Atwater High School in 1948. Upon graduating from the University of Minnesota in 1950 with a degree in mortuary science he began working at Holm Brothers hardware store in Atwater as the head mortician, parts man and TV repairman. He dated his high school sweetheart, Sharon Hovey, and they were married on June 10th, 1951 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Atwater. In 1954 he and his brother Gerry started Holm Brothers Plumbing and Heating. The company's very first job was an addition to the Atwater School. After his brother's death in 1965, he ran the business until his retirement in 1995. He was a life long active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church.

John was an avid hunter, beginning at the age of 5. He shot his first duck with a single shot 20 gauge shot gun in the fall of 1939. Despite his year long bout with rheumatic fever at the age of 14, he lived his life to the fullest enjoying hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, skiing, traveling, researching local history and genealogy and spending time with family and friends. He was rarely seen without his dog whistle around his neck.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon Holm of Atwater, 4 children; Debra (and Doug) Hanson of Atwater, Vicki (and Curtis) Johnson of Bellevue, Nebraska, Denise (and Kern) Kragenbring of Atwater and Greg (and Kimberly) Holm of Atwater . Also surviving are 10 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and one sister, Shirley Walsh of Atwater.

John was preceded in death by his parents, 1 brother, Gerald Holm and 1 sister, Carol Nupson.

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