Ashley Von Holtum

ASHLEY ANN VON HOLTUM was born on June 23, 1988, in Pipestone, Minnesota to Elwin and Norma Brands. She was raised on the family dairy farm south of Edgerton, Minnesota, where as a young girl she loved milking cows alongside of her dad. She attended school at Leota Christian Elementary and Edgerton Public, graduating in 2007 with honors. Ashley then chased her dream and love of photography, obtaining an associate’s degree from New York Institute of Photography in 2009. She then started her own business, Shutter Pro Pics, building it from the ground up in the years that followed.

Ashley married the love of her life, Jordan Von Holtum, on March 9, 2013, and the couple shared a home near Rushmore, Minnesota. She loved Jesus, her Savior, with a passion that could be seen in her work and was illuminated through her personality, touching the lives of many. Ashley and Jordan found their “home” at Living Rock Church in Luverne, Minnesota and were involved in a number of activities, including Bible study. They humbly put together the 2014 church directory.

On Monday, August 4, 2014 Ashley passed away at the age of 26 years, one month and two weeks at the Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota as the result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident south of Kenneth, Minnesota.

She is lovingly remembered by her husband, Jordan Von Holtum; parents, Elwin and Norma Brands of Edgerton; three siblings, Anita Brands of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Austin “AJ” and his wife Mary Brands (and their son, Dylan) of Hardwick, Minnesota, and Adam Brands of Edgerton; her grandparents, John and Mary Brands of Kenneth, Minnesota and Martha Vanden Berg of Richfield, Minnesota; her spouse’s family, Larry and Barb Von Holtum of Magnolia, Minnesota, Nicole and Chad Fenske (and their daughter, Tenlee) of Mitchell, South Dakota, Christine of Luverne, and Mark of Magnolia; and numerous other family and friends. She was preceded in death by an uncle, Ken Vanden Berg.