Obituary Posted: 5/26/04
Barbara Magdalen (Wesson) Holt, age 88, of Mahtomedi, formerly of North Branch, died May 19, 2004 at her residence at New Perspective.
Barb, or ìBob,î was a 1934 graduate of Alexandria High School. In her senior year her basketball team set a record by winning the girlsí inter-class basketball tournament for the 3rd consecutive year.
In 1936 she graduated from the Calhoun Secretarial School in Minneapolis following which she worked at the 1st National Bank in Minneapolis for six years.
In 1941 she married Adolph ìBillî Holt of North Branch and moved to Alexandria, Va., while Bill served in the U.S. Army during the war, and where son Tony was born. When Bill was shipped overseas in July of 1945, Barb and Tony moved back to Alexandria, MN, to stay with her parents. While there, daughter Linda was born. When Bill returned to Minnesota in 1946 following WW II, they all moved to North Branch. There they settled to raise their family, which in 1957, grew to include daughter Lisa. They lived in North Branch for the next 55 years before moving to Stillwater in 2000.
Barb was an inspiration to all who knew her as she led by the example of her friendship,
honesty, hard work and play,Ýhumor and laughter; and by her love of learning, books, sports, the outdoors, baking goodies, playing games and practical jokes. She enjoyed tennis, golf, cross country skiing, square dancing, card games and serving as a Cub Scout Den Mother. She was active in the PTA and belonged to the American Legion Auxiliary. She was an avid supporter of North Branch High School athletics and activities. She worked for many years at the North Branch Review Corp.
She will always be remembered for how she loved the zany and unexpected things in life, the waves and the diamonds on the lake, the call of the loon, and the company and love of friends and family. ìKeep feeling the heat coming off the ice cream and throw me a roll while youíre at it!î
She will be deeply missed by her children, Tony and wife Jeri of Portland, Ore., Linda Gunberg and husband David of Grand Junction, Colo., and Lisa Holt and husband Bill Orn of Stillwater, Minn.; grandchildren, Jason, Arik, Maili (Sean), David, Nora, Nathan, Katie and Sara; two great-grandchildren,
Katrina and Hunter; sisters-in-law, Margaret Wesson and Mildred Newstrom; and many other relatives and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Jacques Wright Wesson and Nora Louise (Masear) Wesson, two sisters, two brothers and her husband of 60 years, A.W. ìBillî Holt.
The memorial service will be held 11 a.m., Monday, July 19, 2004 at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Branch in the morning with a luncheon at the church following the service.
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