Carl Holst

Carl Henry Holst, 75, of Red Wing, died Friday, August 21, 2009 at Fairview Red Wing Medical Center due to complications of cancer and heart failure. He was born September 4, 1933 in Wabasha County to LaRoy and Elsa (Meyer) Holst. He attended Sterrett Country School and Lake City schools. In 1949 the family moved to Goodhue where he graduated in 1951. He played baseball, basketball, and football for Lake City and Goodhue schools. He also played ball on the Goodhue town team. In 1954 he was drafted into the U.S. Army for two years and was stationed in Germany. Carl married Mary Cook on February 23, 1957 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Red Wing. They lived on the family farm in Goodhue until 1964 when they moved to Red Wing.

Carl worked many jobs over the years. He worked as a fuel oil delivery man, a milk hauler for Tiedemans of Lake City, and delivered milk door to door for Hi-Park Dairy. He also worked at the Red Wing Shoe Company and had a bread route with Sunbeam/Holsum Bread for 20 years. He sold life insurance and Moorman's Feed. He did maintenance and janitorial work for St. Paul's church for 13 years, the Red Wing/Downtown Clinic, Service Master, and Treasure Island, where he did housekeeping work for 13 years until his retirement at the age of 72. Carl and Mary sold their house in Red Wing and moved to a townhome in Goodhue for one year before returning to Red Wing in July of 2008. Carl enjoyed all sports, and was an avid follower of high school sports. He loved to watch college basketball and football. He had a great memory on statistics of players and teams, both past and present. He also enjoyed hunting and snowmobiling until his health no longer permitted. He was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, the Elks BPOE #845, the Burnson-Lillyblad VFW Post #1218, the Leo C. Peterson American Legion Post #54, and the Goodhue Lions. His family recollects his pride in his work. He was meticulous and a perfectionist in everything he did, whether it was shoes, suits, vehicles, or yard work.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mary; three children, Craig (Luann) Holst of Zumbrota, Brian (Trish) Holst of Elmore, and Kim (Shawn) Murphy of Red Wing; grandchildren, Barry Holst and Cayla Holst of Mankato, and Max, Cody, and Breana Murphy of Red Wing; step-grandchildren, Michael and Crystal DeRosier of Brainerd, Roger and Jesseca Hauge of Hager City, Joshua DeRosier of Stillwater, and Aleesha DeRosier of Phoenix, Arizona; step-great-grandson Jaxson DeRosier of Brainerd, and two step-great-grandsons to be born in September; four siblings, Norbert Holst of Lake City, Gloria (Dallas) Henn of Zumbro Falls, Gladys (Lee) Johnson of Athens, Georgia, and Gary (Debra) Holst of LeMars, Iowa. He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Arleigh Holst.

Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Thursday, August 27, 2009 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church with Rev. Kristen Schlauderaff officiating. Burial will be at St. John's Cemetery in Lake City. Visitation will be 4 - 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at the Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel with a Legion prayer service at 7 p.m. and at the church for one hour prior to the service. Memorials are preferred to the American Heart Association.