Obituary of Margaret Nell Hollman

Margaret Nell Hollmann of Santa Cruz went to be with the Lord on October 26, 2010. She was born Sept. 16, 1920 in Liberty, Missouri to Kathleen and Kenneth Middleton of Omaha, Nebraska. She had one sister Marnie, who was her best friend. Margaret lived by her parents' values of truth, justice, love of nature, and fairness. She saw integrity and responsibility in her father; and her mother was of good humor and common sense. Growing up in a one-room school house with one cloak closet for boys and one for girls and no sports or P.E. resulted in the use of their imaginations and playing 'hide and seek'. As a child, her ambition was to play the violin and to be a nurse. In high school she played tennis, was captain of her basketball team, played violin and starred as Meg in the school play of 'Little Women', which was her favorite book. With no TV in the home, she enjoyed listening to the Kraft Music Hall on the radio. Her parents and grandparents loved vacations and traveling. When she was eight years old, with her sister, the family took their horse and wagon to the Ozarks to fish, ride horses and camp by te stream in a tent. Many of their vacations were in various places in Minnesota until her grandparents decided to purchase a small cabin on the lake in Elysian in 1949. That cabin to this day remains a favorite gathering place for all family to vacation. In Margaret's junior year of high school, she met her future husband, Gene, who was a senior. Their first meeting was in music class, with him playing trumpet and her playing violin. They dated six years before becoming engaged while he was in the Army and she was in nurses' training and attending William Jewell College. They were married in 1943 while Gene was on leave from the European theatre of the War. What she liked about Gene was his sensitivity and his manners as a gentleman, which says a lot about Margaret. Gene was a college English teacher, and gave up this career to become a singer/actor and played in Broadway shows such as 'South Pacific' around the country. Margaret became a dedicated wife and mother to their two children, Ron and Mary Lynne. She taught Sunday school, and sang in the choir at the First Presbyterian Church in Rutherford, N.J. for 35 years. Later moving to Blairstown, Gene and Margaret built one of the first solar homes in New Jersey; and then Gene suddenly passed away. She moved to Deanza Mobile Home Park in Santa Cruz, California to be near family. Daily visits to her daughter and son-in-laws home finally turned into a permanent stay. Margaret continued to teach Sunday school until her stroke in 1980 which she recovered from fairly well. Her granddaughters, Marissa, Lindsey and Crissy dearly loved their grandmother, and shared their love for her by painting gramma's nails her favorite color blue, talking long-distance by phone from New Jersey, and sending special gifts like the pink stuffed monkey. Her recent 90th birthday celebration was enjoyed with family and friends, as she indulged in her favorite dessert, strawberry shortcake. After her recent illness she was able to remain home with her family because of the special love and care she received from her caregivers, Debbie, Alice, and LeLe. All on family vacations at the cabin will sorely miss the smile of Margaret in her big-brimmed-straw hat, grinning as she shows off her big fish of the day. At home, her outdoor activities were sitting in her favorite log swing with her feet flying high in the air looking out at the pool with the beautiful roses surrounding her and Cindy the family dog, faithfully by her side. Helping Mary Lynne plant flowers, lawn bowling, and just taking a stroll around the pool, will be events of joy which the family will always remember. She also enjoyed painting pictures at the table, and rocking in the chair with her baby doll. Her beautiful smile will be ingrained in our minds forever; and 'Oh' how we all enjoyed her wide-eyed look when you mentioned "desert". Her legacy will continue with love, laughter, an appreciation for music, dancing, and a heart-felt love for the Lord. She leaves this earth and is now with her heavenly father. She was pre-deceased by her parents, husband, Eugene, and sister, Marnie Rose Durham. Surviving are her daughter, Mary Lynne Hollmann-Butz and son-in-law, Thomas Butz , grand-daughters Lindsey and Marrissa of Santa Cruz, Ca.; son, Ronald Hollmann and daughter-in-law, Donna Hollmann, and granddaughter, Crissy of Bridgewater, New Jersey, and grandson, Lee of Houston, Texas, and much extended family. The family wishes to extend their appreciation for their kindness and pouring out of love to all the friends, extended family, doctors, nurses, loving caregivers, health aides, volunteers, clergy, and all who loved, and cared for Margaret. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hospice of Santa Cruz,or the Alzheimers Association. A viewing will be at 11:00 with a Service at 12:00 noon on Saturday, October 30th at The Felton Presbyterian Church, 6090 Highway 9, Felton, California. A reception will follow at the family home. Margaret will then be flown to Blairstown, New Jersey for a final family/friends church service and laid to rest beside her husband, Eugene.