Roy Holmquist

Roy W. Holmquist, age 87, of Glenwood, formerly of Benson, died Sunday morning, July 13, at Parkview Court Assisted Living in Glenwood.

A memorial service will be held at 3:00 P.M. on Wednesday, July 16, at the All Saint's Chapel at the Glenwood Retirement Village in Glenwood with Chaplain Jim Gronewold officiating and also a funeral service at 2:00 P.M. on Thursday, July 17, at Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church in Benson with Rev. David Andert officiating. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the Benson V.F.W. Post #1403. Visitation will be from 5-7 P.M. on Wednesday, July 16, at Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church in Benson and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church, the Swift County Benson Hospital Foundation or the Glenwood Retirement Village are preferred. Funeral arrangements are with Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar.

Roy William Holmquist was born on November 24, 1920, in Lancaster, Minnesota, the son of Alfred and Dora (Lindgren) Holmquist. He grew up in the Red River Valley, was baptized and confirmed at the Red River Lutheran Church and graduated from high school in Grand Forks, North Dakota in 1938. Roy attended the University of North Dakota, graduated summa cum laude in 1942 and received a Phi Beta Kappa key. He joined the U.S. Army in 1942 as an ROTC officer. He became a first lieutenant in the infantry of the 142nd battalion (Rainbow division) on the European front of World War II. On February 22, 1944, in Grand Forks, ND., Roy was united in marriage to his college sweetheart, Jeanette Lee. Returning to duty, Roy was seriously wounded while crossing the Rhine River into Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge in March of 1945. He returned to Grand Rapids, Michigan to recover and was honored with the Purple Heart and Bronze Star awards. Following the war, Roy returned to college at the University of Minnesota where he received his law degree in 1948. He was recognized for his work as a law student and contributed to the Law Review. After graduating in 1948, Roy joined his brother, Carl, in law practice in Benson, Minnesota. He enjoyed his law career and his leadership to his church and community. Roy was the Swift County attorney for 8 years, from 1950 to 1958. Roy retired from his law practice in 1989. He and Jeanette enjoyed 13 years of wintering in Mesa, AZ., and resided in Chaska for 5 years. They spent their summers on Lake Minnewaska until 2006, when they moved to Scofield Place in Benson. In April of 2007, they moved to Parkview Court in Glenwood.

He was a hospital board member, a church council member and its President at Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church. He also enjoyed being a Sunday school teacher and was its Superintendent. Roy volunteered his time as a Kiwanian, a member of the Benson Economic Development Corporation and the American Legion Post. Roy loved the game of bridge and was a charter member of the Men's Bridge Club in Benson.

Roy will always be remembered as kind, gentle, humble, respected, smiling, positive, a lifelong learner, a farmer at heart, a nature lover, a lifelong Republican, avid golfer and pheasant hunter, and one who was always forward thinking.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanette of Glenwood; four children, Andrea (and Bob) Carruthers of Atwater, Philip (and Corrine) Holmquist of Omaha, NE, Mary (and Dan) Lundahl of Victoria and Charles Holmquist of Benson; fourteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren, besides other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his twin brother, Ray and seven other siblings, Alvin, Maurice, Edith, Pearl, Carl, Lucille and Ruth.