Gary "Pete" Holzgen

When reflecting on the life of Gary “Pete” Holzgen, words such as dependable, resilient, and fun-loving come to mind. He lived each moment to its fullest and never took even one day for granted. A loving husband and dedicated father, Pete treasured his family and was not only his son’s father, but also his friend. A friend to many, he was someone who was supportive of others and always available for whatever was needed and in doing so, positively impacted so many lives. A true gift in every sense of the word, Pete will be deeply missed.

The 1950s were part of a vibrant time in American history, and nestled within that decade was the year 1952 that was full of noteworthy events. The winds of change were taking us places we had never been and for the most part, we were not interested in looking back. By this year three out of five families owned a car, two out of three families now had a telephone, and one in three homes had a television. This was an unforgettable year for one particular family in Grand Rapids, Michigan, since it was on November 15th that they were blessed with the birth of a healthy baby boy. Gary was welcomed home by his loving parents, Elmer and Katherine (Smith) Holzgen, and was the third of four children in his family including his sisters, Terri and Bev, and his brother, Jim. His father was a woodworker while his mother was a waitress.

Gary, who was often known as Pete, was raised in the family home on the southwest side of the city near Lee Street and later moved to a home in Wyoming. As young boys so often do, Pete found himself in a bit of mischief from time to time. On one such occasion he was playing outside with his sister, Bev, and turned over a big rock only to find it was hiding hundreds of bees! Pete was repeatedly stung everywhere including inside his shoes and socks, and he was terribly afraid of bees from then on. When his sister got a dog a few years later, it became Pete’s job to put the dog in the basement at night. At times he simply threw the dog down the basement steps and thankfully, the dog was never injured as a result of Pete’s shortcut.

Life was bustling with activity in the Holzgen home, and the kids were close with one another despite their differences. They enjoyed spending time as a family and made lasting memories camping, taking car trips to Minnesota, and visiting Las Vegas. Pete attended St. John Vianney Elementary on Clyde Park where he played baseball and was an enthusiastic student who was the first one to arrive each day. He went on to Catholic Central High School and viewed his high school career as more of a social gig. Pete liked to pull his fair share of pranks and was an average student when it came to his studies. These were years that he always looked back on fondly and a time when he established many lifelong friends. Pete continued to find himself in a bit of trouble now and again such as the time he jumped the fence at the Highland Park pool after hours. That charade even earned him a free ride in a police car! Pete was known among his peers for his never-ending sense of humor and his more laid back demeanor. It also comes as no surprise that Pete skipped school sometimes to satiate his love for playing pool or at times, to go fishing with his father.

After graduating in 1970, Pete was ready to enter the workforce. He became a realtor of residential properties through Pearson-Cook initially, and later for Cassis Realty. Pete left real estate in the early eighties and then worked in a few different industries over the years that followed. He worked in sales at Kent Beverage for 16 years and in 2007, he worked for Art Van for a time.

New and exciting changes were in store for Pete when he met the woman with whom he would share the best years of his life. Her name was Sally and they met at a bar. She actually met Pete’s brother first, but Jim later introduced her to Pete. Although Sally wasn’t too interested in Pete at first, he was persistent, and after a few months they went out on a date. It was Memorial Day weekend, and they went for a picnic with friends and later went bowling. Sally thought Pete was funny and he grew on her over time. After dating for two years, they were married on September 24, 1976, at St. John Vianney.

Following a honeymoon in the Poconos, the couple settled into an apartment near 44th Street. Pete was working in real estate at the time and in June of 1979, the couple was blessed with the birth of their son, Brian. Pete was an excellent father who was funny and liked to joke around with his son a lot. They shared a love for sports and played a ton of golf - so much so that Brian went on to become a golf professional. They began playing when Brian was 7, most times at the L.E .Kaufman Golf Course in Wyoming – the same course he frequented as a boy. Pete also taught Brian to play pool and was the “cool dad” who was friends with all of Brian’s friends. As a family the Holzgens went places like Cedar Point and to various sporting events as Pete was a fan of the University of Michigan and the Detroit Lions.

Later in life, Pete struggled with his health. In February of 2008, he underwent heart surgery and had five bypasses. Then in March of 2010, he experienced kidney failure which left him in and out of the hospital and needing dialysis three times a week. Even as he grew weaker, Pete still tried to have lunch with his friends once a week.

A real steak and fries kind of man, Gary “Pete” Holzgen brought so much life to the world around him. He enjoyed things like playing cards and listening to music from the sixties and seventies and anything from Carol King, but it was spending time with his family and friends that Pete loved more than anything else. Often accompanied by a Pepsi or a vodka and 7-Up, Pete created a lifetime of memories that will surely withstand the test of time.

Gary “Pete” Holzgen of Grand Rapids died on February 2, 2011. Pete’s family includes his wife, Sally; son, Brian (Trinaty) Holzgen; grandson, Ethan; brother, Jim Holzgen; sister, Bev Holzgen; sister-in-law, Kay (Hale) Currier; brother-in-law, John Ayers; and nieces and nephews. Pete was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Terri Ayers. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 8 at Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW. Friends may visit with his family for one hour prior to the service. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a memory or make a memorial donation to the family.