ELLEN HOLZBAUER

Funeral Mass for Ellen Holzbauer, 100, of Wagner was Monday, December 10 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Wagner. Burial was in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, rural Wagner. Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Ellen M. Holzbauer was born December 3, 1918 on the Leopold Hrdlicka farm north of Wagner, the daughter of John and Alice (Hrdlicka) Pol. She died Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at the Good Samaritan Society in Wagner. Ellen attained the age of 100 years and two days.

Ellen went to country school through the 6th grade and attended 7th and 8th grade in Armour. Ellen’s mother and infant brother died in 1931. Her sister Violet died the next year.

In 1932, she went to live with her mother’s sister, Mary Burian, in Wagner. She attended 1 1/2 years of high school in Wagner. Mary helped Ellen through her teen years. In summers, she helped some farmers during harvest time. She also helped women during later months of pregnancy and for awhile after the babies were born. Ellen quit high school to take a job in the Marty Mission grocery store. She was hired by Fr. Sylvester OSB and worked there until 1939.

Ellen was united in marriage to Harold Holzbauer on February 14, 1939. They lived on the Holzbauer farm for 13 years. Three children were born during this time. They moved to Wagner in 1953. She worked at Frager’s Cleaners, Spot Cafe and then GF Buche Co. for 28 years as a grocery checker, then bookkeeper. She retired in 1983. Harold died on February 18, 2003, after 64 years of marriage.

Ellen was baptized at St. John’s Catholic Church in 1934. She was a member of St. John’s Altar Society. Ellen also sang in the church choir for many years.

Ellen will be remembered for her love of making lawn ornaments, painting, crocheting, gardening, flowers, yardwork, bowling until about 2002, playing cards and baking rolls and Kolaches.

Thankful for having shared her life are her life are her daughters: Delores (Marvin) Anderson of Mission Hill, Shirley (Dale) Weber of Salem and Janice (Jerry) Bobier of South Sioux City, NE; nine grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren; four great-great grandchildren and one on the way; and many nieces and nephews.

Ellen was preceded in death by her husband Harold, parents, brothers: Roland, Bob, Howard and Donald Pol and sister Violet Pol.