January 11, 1949 – November 15, 2020

Carl Edward Holmgren was born on January 11, 1949, in Woonsocket, S.D., to Eli and Margaret (Cattnach) Holmgren. He died in his home in Pipestone Sunday, November 15, 2020, at the age of 71.

Funeral services were held Sunday, November 21, 2020, at the Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne, Minn., with Rev. Robert Moeller, Jr., officiating. Casket bearers were Darryl Rabb, Brent Ostler, Jeff Holmgren, Dave Fowler, and Zane Holmgren. Interment was in Memory Gardens, Luverne.

Carl grew up in Hardwick and graduated from Luverne High School in 1967. He graduated from Pipestone Vocational Technical College in 1969 with a degree in supermarket management.

In 1971 he married Joyce Van Lant and they had two daughters, Tammy and Kari. Carl and Joyce lived in Hardwick where they owned Carl’s Clover Farm grocery store. Carl drove truck for Tombstone Pizza for a number of years after they sold the store and in 1980 they moved to Boulder, Colo., where he worked for many years in the grocery industry.

Carl and Joyce divorced in 1996 and Carl moved back to the Midwest shortly after. He settled in Pipestone and in 2013 Carl was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. He moved into Falls Landing Assisted Living where he lived for seven years. Although his Alzheimer’s progressed, he still knew and recognized everyone and we still enjoyed our conversations with him.

Carl loved fishing, rooting for his Vikings and playing Scrabble; although his most cherished time was spent with family. He loved music, going to concerts, writing song lyrics, and listening to his collection of records and CD’s. He was a kid at heart and loved making people laugh from his April Fools Day pranks to his Halloween costumes and “Dad” jokes. He enjoyed even a simple hello or good morning to strangers and everyone he crossed paths with. Anything that brought a smile to another’s face also brought him joy.

He is survived by his daughters, Tammy (Darryl) Rabb, Kent, Wash., and Kari (Brent) Ostler, Sioux Falls, S.D., one granddaughter, brothers Gary (Donna) Holmgren, Sioux Falls, and Wayne Holmgren, Luverne, and sister Twila (Randy) Allen, Pipestone. 

Carl was preceded in death by his parents.