William “Bill” Henry Holling was born on March 25, 1923, in Germany to Ferdinand “Peter” and Wiebke (Jollmer) Holling. His parents immigrated to the United States when Bill was about one-and-a-half years old. His parents were farmers and settled on a farm near Hardwick, Minnesota, for about nine years. The family sold their farm and went back to Germany in 1934. Bill spent one month in a German school before the family returned to the United States. When the family returned to the United States, they rented a farm west of Jasper, Minnesota, and then a farm north of Hardwick. Bill attended country school until he graduated in the eighth grade.

At the age of 21, Bill was drafted into the United States Army. When his training was complete, he was sent to war in Europe. He was in a group that was part of the Battle of the Bulge.  Bill was honorably discharged on July 31, 1946. When he returned home, his first job was helping with the construction of Highway 30 from Slayton to Pipestone, Minnesota. After that, he went to North Dakota to pitch wheat bundles. He decided to return to farming. He also worked at the Green Lantern in Hardwick.

Bill was united in marriage to Lois Taylor on December 29, 1963, at the United Methodist Church in Luverne, Minnesota. The couple made their home on Bill’s farm south of Hardwick. They were blessed with two daughters, Priscilla and Patricia. At the age of 69, Bill was involved in a farming accident that ended his farming career. The next year, he and Lois sold the farm and moved to Hardwick where they would live for nine years. Later they moved to Luverne.

Lois preceded him in death in 2016. Bill moved to the Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Home in 2022 where on Saturday, December 14, 2024, he died peacefully at the age of 101 years, 8 months, and 20 days.

Bill was a member of the United Methodist Church in Luverne. He was a member of the American Legion for 70 years. In 2010, he was able to go on the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. Bill and Lois enjoyed dancing together and playing cards. The family enjoyed going fishing together.

Left to cherish his memory are his two daughters, Priscilla (Randy) Pater of Pipestone, and Patricia (Bryan) Jones of Shenandoah, Iowa; six grandchildren, Alexia (Jason) Katsma, Amber (Andrew) Top, Ann (Collin) Heynen, Avery Pater, Magi (Kelby) Wichman, and Brodie (Serena) Jones; nine great-grandchildren, Ellen, Hope, Jonah, Eden, Micah, Jett, Lola, and twins, Violet and Daisy just born on December 16, 2024 and family friend, Kristin Suhr.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lois Holling; sister, Alice Luehman; brother, Alvin Holling; and parents, Ferdinand and Wiebke Holling.