Erwin Holmquist

Erwin Holmquist was an optimistic, outgoing man, a man who treated every day of his life as the great gift it was. He was a hardworking, perfectionist of a man, and a man of great loyalty and character, as well as a proud veteran, a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. Most of all, Erwin was a good man with a good life, a life we were so lucky to share.

Erwin’s story began on a cool fall day in 1921, in the bustling city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Those were exciting times in this country, times of peace and prosperity, at the dawn of the Roaring 20s, and the start of the Prohibition era. On September 28, 1921, Elmer and Joanna (Telder) Holmquist celebrated the birth of a baby boy at their home on Morgan Street NW, a son they named Erwin.

Erwin was one of seven children in the family’s home, joining his younger siblings Lois, Julie, Arlene, Margie and Paul. Erwin’s big brother Leon sadly died on his sixth birthday.

Erwin’s dad owned a repair and fabrication business, while his mother cared for the kids and the home. Erwin naturally grew up very good with his hands, thanks to helping his dad all those years. He also learned his work ethic on his grandparents’ farm in Tustin, Michigan, taking care of the animals, fishing and just enjoying the farm life. He always loved visiting the farm, where he made so many fond childhood memories.

Erwin attended West Leonard School, and later Harrison Park Junior High, and he learned to play the violin, as well. With the Great Depression set upon the land by then, Erwin left school after the ninth grade to work fulltime and help his family. He found work as a machine operator, and later helped his dad in his shop, too.

When World War II arrived on our shores, Erwin went out and enlisted in the Navy, not wanting to wait around to be drafted. He trained at the Ford Motor Company’s Rouge Plant, where he learned machine work, and also developed a lifelong loyalty to the brand. He then served aboard the USS Chicago, which was attacked and sunk by Japanese torpedoes in January of 1943. Erwin kept the oil stained silver dollars that he had in his pocket when the USS Chicago went down.

Erwin then served aboard the USS San Juan, which was one of the first ships into Tokyo Bay, helping liberate the first POWs there. Erwin was very proud of his military service, and attended many reunions of the San Juan later in life.

When the war ended, Erwin returned home, where he soon formed a welding business with his dad, called Holmquist Welding Company. They were a great father-son team, and Erwin would run the business for more than 50 years.

His personal life began to bloom, as well. One day in the late 1940s, Erwin reconnected with a beautiful young woman named Dorothy, while attending a Youth for Christ meeting. The two were once neighbors, and though Erwin was five years her senior, the sparks flew between them and they began dating. After a three-year courtship, the couple was married on May 12, 1950, in a small ceremony in Grand Rapids.

The newlyweds started out in an apartment on Fairview, then on Valley NW, before buying a home on Woodrow. In 1962, they built their dream home at 3420 Peach Ridge NW, where they would raise their wonderful family and where he would live the rest of his days.

Erwin and Dorothy were blessed with four beautiful daughters over the years, Judy, Connie, Joanne and Sharon, who made their papa so happy and proud. He enjoyed making doll houses for his girls when they were young, and the family did much together. They went to church each Sunday at Leonard Heights Baptist and later Northland Baptist, and they did some traveling, as well. In 1968, the family took a train trip to California, taking both the Northern and Southern routes.

Erwin found time for his many interests, too. He loved watching the Red Wings and the Tigers, and tending to his impressive model train set in the basement. It was a huge, HO gauge train, and he had an enormous workshop to keep everything on track. He also enjoyed his fishing trips to Drummond Island, being an avid fisherman, and had an impressive gun collection, too. His most prized possessions, though, were his tools, and model trains.

Erwin saved his greatest love for his family, of course, and he and Dorothy enjoyed so many wonderful times through the years. They took many trips together, first by trailer and later by motor home, driving throughout the United States and Canada. The couple also went on several Alaskan cruises, and in 1989, they went on an incredible trip to Sweden, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Erwin’s grandfather’s arrival in America.

Erwin continued working at the welding business until the 1990s, when he semi-retired. He was also a self-taught draftsman, who could draw anything anyone could dream up, and did some work for L&F Packaging throughout the rest of his life.

Erwin’s beloved Dorothy sadly died in 1998, which he took so hard. She was five years younger, and he never got over the fact she died before he did. He persevered for many years, though, relying on his family and his work. He loved spending time with his grandkids, and made them dollhouses, too, just as he did for his own kids.

Erwin never turned down an invitation from his family to go to dinner, and loved any chance to get together with them. He loved having some good conversation, reminiscing about his war years, and playing games with the kids and grandkids.

Sadly, Erwin passed away on Thursday, March 6, 2008, at the age of 86.

Erwin lived a wonderful life, a life full of hard work, fond memories, and his loving family. We are so thankful for the times that we shared. He will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy and son-in-law Roy Graham. Surviving are his children, Judy Stilley of Grand Rapids, Connie Graham, Joanne and David Van Holstyn of Walker, Sharon and Scott Nauta of Belmont; grandchildren, Brian, Laura and Eric Stilley, Mark (Liz), and Beth Van Holstyn, Valerie, Holly, Ben and Carolyn Nauta. Also surviving are his siblings, Lois Holmquist of Kentucky, Julie and Bob Klint of Sawyer, Arlene and Chuck Bour of Grand Rapids, Margie and Chet Scheltema of California, Paul and Gayle Holmquist of Grand Rapids, sister-in-law Meredith Guelzo of Comstock Park and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Monday at 11AM at Heritage Lifestory Funeral Homes – Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr NW with interment in Rosedale Memorial Park. Friends may meet the family on Sunday from 2-4 and 7-9PM. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, Brassworks Building, 648 Monroe NW Suite 400, 49503 or the American Heart Association, 3940 Peninsular Dr SE, Suite 180, 49546. To share a favorite memory or sign the guestbook visit www.lifestorynet.com