Obituary: James Lewis "Jim" Holl - Class of 1947

VERONA - James Lewis "Jim" Holl died on Monday, Aug. 8, 2011, after a series of illnesses. He was 81 years old.

Jim Holl was born on Friday, Sept. 13, 1929, in Richland Center, the son of William Guy and Almyra Bergh Holl. He lived in Richland Center until the age of 14, when his father died and he moved with his mother to Madison. There, he worked as a dishwasher at the YWCA Cafeteria after school and helped his mother manage Jimyra House, an independent residence hall for women students. He graduated from Madison Central High School in 1947 and entered the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He earned an Army ROTC scholarship and graduated in 1953 with a degree in economics. While at the University he met Ruth Ann Beatty. They were married on Aug. 6, 1949, and had been married for 60 years at the time of her death in 2009.

After Jim received his commission he and Ruth lived for two years in Hanau, Germany, where he served as a combat engineer in the 4th Infantry Division. After returning to Wisconsin in 1955 they lived briefly in Richland Center and then moved back to Madison to raise their two sons in the Crestwood and Meadowood neighborhoods. Jim spent 35 years as a salesman for General Mills, Inc., and had many close friends in the grocery business. In his free time, he was a baseball coach in both the city recreation program and West Madison League. In retirement Jim and Ruth lived on the Westside of Madison and traveled frequently to visit family in Texas, Florida and California. In April 2009, they moved to Willow Pointe Assisted Living in Verona.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, William Kenneth Holl; his wife, Ruth Ann Beatty Holl; and his son, Steven James Holl. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Bruce and Maria Holl of San Antonio, Texas; his beloved granddaughters, Anastasia and Sonia Holl of San Antonio; his niece, Karen Euston of Berkeley, Calif.; his nephew, Wendell Holl of Lodi; his niece, Nancy Lightfield of Burlington; as well as many other family members and close friends.

The Holl family would like to thank the staff at Willow Pointe Assisted Living for the care and comfort they provided to Jim, and the many residents there who became his good friends. We would also like to thank HospiceCare Inc., for taking wonderful care of Jim during his final days.

No memorial service is planned

Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on August 21, 2011 (submitted by Michael Vahldieck, Class of 1968)