Marjorie Holland, 89, long-time resident of Atlantic, Iowa died early Thursday, November 26, 2020, at Heritage House in Atlantic.
She was born November 2, 1931, in Pomeroy, Iowa, the daughter of Carl and Tilda (Peters) Johnson. Her father, Carl, died in a farm accident before she was born. Marjorie was baptized at the Elfsborg Lutheran Church in rural Pomeroy. Marjorie and her mother lived in several communities as she grew up and in 1947, following the close of WWII they moved to Atlantic, Iowa, where she graduated from the Atlantic High School with the Class of 1949. She was then employed as a secretary with Equitable Insurance Company for 3 years. She met Chet in Luther League and they went roller skating at the roller rink in Atlantic.
On December 26, 1951, she was united in marriage to Chester “Chet” Holland at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa. They moved to San Marcus, Texas, then Lawton, Oklahoma, for a short time where Chester was serving in the United States Army and Marjorie was employed by Montgomery Ward. When Chet was discharged from the army in 1953, they moved back to Atlantic, Iowa, where she worked as a secretary in a law office and the Methodist Church. She became a full-time homemaker once her 3 children were born. In 1968, she began volunteering, then later working with her good friend Mary Anderson at the Jack and Jill Nursery School in Atlantic as a teacher’s aide, until she retired in 1993. She also co-taught sign language classes at Iowa Western Community College in Atlantic and helped in the Atlantic Community School Systems with signing for several students.
Marjorie lived a lifetime of kindness and servitude to others. Her passions were her church, her children and grandchildren, volunteering, and helping children of all ages. She was an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic, where she taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, helped with Luther League, after-school clubs, Women’s Circle, WELCA, Church Women United, Dial a Daily Word and volunteering in many capacities. She was a member of the Cass County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary where she volunteered hundreds of hours over the years. She was a member and volunteer of the Museum of Danish America and took part in the Friends of The Danish American Museum. Marjorie loved gardening in her flower and vegetable gardens. She enjoyed making baked goods for church functions or to share with neighbors and friends. In her spare time you could find her sewing, quilting, painting or doing a variety of crafts. She also co-taught sign language classes at Iowa Western Community College in Atlantic and helped in the Atlantic Community School Systems with signing for several students. Marjorie was one to always put others first and always had a selfless outlook in life.
Marjorie and Chet enjoyed socializing with their many groups of friends: the old High School Gang that met on holidays, Saturday Night Card Club, Afternoon Bridge Club with her lady friends, neighborhood “Coffees”, her circle of Deaf friends, and hosting friends after church or Lenten services. Marjorie also loved going to Florida in the winter and socializing with their Snow Bird friends for 19 years.
Marjorie is preceded in death by her mother, Tilda Hedman, her aunt Alice Johnson and cousin Duane Johnson; in-laws Jens and Anna Holland, Gladys McCrory, Imo Jean Griffin, and Dean Holland; other relatives and friends.
She is survived by her husband, Chet Holland of Atlantic; her children: Julie Holland of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Karen and husband, Chris Robb of Lenexa, Kansas, and Jon Holland of Ames, Iowa; her grandchildren: Anna Robb of Kansas City, Missouri, Kirsten Robb of Lenexa, and Haley Holland of Council Bluffs; cousin, Colleen McComb; sister-in-law, Peggy Holland of Greenfield; brother-in-law, Spencer Holland and wife, Betty of Colorado Springs, CO, and Raymond and Joyce Holland of Bettendorf, Iowa; nieces and nephews; special friends and neighbors.
Open visitation will be available on Monday, November 30, 2020, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic. Due to COVID, social distancing and masks are required. A private family funeral service will be held at a later date. Burial will be in the Atlantic Cemetery.
