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EULOGY TO A COMMUNITY LEADER

(L to R) Lois Oetting, Alma and Harold Hollman in front of church windows designed by Harold’s business, City Glass Specialty (church is in Grafton, WI).
(L to R) Lois Oetting, Alma and Harold Hollman in front of church windows designed by Harold’s business, City Glass Specialty (church is in Grafton, WI).
Harold Hollman, community leader, church leader, family leader, died September 21 at the Lutheran Home, he was 93 years old.

Harold was a willful and dynamic man. He had the vision and ability to make things happen, often for the benefit of the church and the public, his family and his business, City Glass Specialty.

He was born and raised within the Trinity Lutheran Church, Decatur Road. Harold organized the church choir and furnished choir gowns or anything the church would need, carpet, doors, or a new altar.

He was a leader in his church for many years. Harold and Alma (his wife of 52 years) sang in the choir 55 years, and I joined them for 35 years, a lot of happy times! Harold was a driving force in the work of the church. They were really good people who didn’t want the glory. On Christmas morning at 4:00 am I would arise, gather my choir robe and music folder, and travel to Harold’s home where Alma would be waiting for me with a cup of coffee and some Christmas cookies she had baked. Sometimes it would be snowy, icy, or very cold, but you always felt safe with Harold at the wheel. We went to Lutheran Hospital, started on the 6th floor, and proceeded down the halls, singing Christmas Carols, to the sad, the sick and lonely. When we reached the lower level, we were treated with an “all you want to eat breakfast”.

One of Harold and Alma’s good deeds was to open their home to my family, during the blizzard of ’78. We were out of power for a week, my husband Walter stayed at the house and slept in his sleeping bag. I took my two sons and went to Harold and Alma’s house.

We had many choir parties, at the homes of Bob and Doris Summers, Wilbur and Maxine Knipstein, and Arnold Piering. We sang for pastors and teacher’s installations, funerals, weddings. One especially remembered was my son’s wedding.

Family and friends, Trinity and Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, the Waynedale area, pause to remember and celebrate the life of a truly great man. Our life has been so blessed from knowing you. Our prayers and love are with his wife Susan, son Richard, grandchildren, and families.

The Waynedale News Staff

Lois M. Oetting

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