Carl Holmgren

Carl Edward Holmgren was born on January 11, 1949 in Woonsocket, SD to Eli and Margaret (Cattnach) Holmgren. He grew up in Hardwick and graduated from Luverne High School in 1967. He graduated from Pipestone Vocational Technical College in 1969 with a degree in Supermarket Management. 

In 1971 he married Joyce Van Lant and they had two daughters, Tammy and Kari. After they were married, Carl and Joyce lived in Hardwick where they owned Carl's Clover Farm grocery store. Carl drove truck for Tombstone Pizza for a number of years after they sold the store and in 1980 they moved to Boulder, CO where he worked for many years in the grocery industry. They divorced in 1996 and Carl moved back to the midwest shortly after. He settled in Pipestone and in 2013 Carl was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers. He moved into Falls Landing Assisted Living where he has lived for the last 7 years.  Although his Alzheimer's progressed, he still knew and recognized everyone and we still enjoyed our conversations with him. On Sunday, November 15, 2020 Carl passed away unexpectedly at the age of 71 at his home in Pipestone.

Carl loved fishing, rooting for his Vikings and playing Scrabble; although his most cherished time was spent with family. He loved music, going to concerts, writing song lyrics and listening to his collection of records and CD's. He was a kid at heart and loved making people laugh from his April Fools Day pranks to his Halloween costumes and 'Dad jokes.' He enjoyed even a simple Hello or Good Morning to strangers and everyone he crossed paths with. Anything that brought a smile to another's face also brought him joy.

Carl was preceded in death by his parents Eli and Margaret Holmgren. He is survived by his daughters, Tammy (Darryl) Rabb of Kent, WA and Kari (Brent) Ostler of Sioux Falls; one granddaughter, Morgan Masse of Kent, WA; siblings, Gary (Donna) Holmgren of Sioux Falls, Wayne Holmgren of Luverne, and Twyla (Randy) Allen of Pipestone; and one nephew, Jeff (Bobby) Holmgren of Luverne and their children, Zane, Zayda, Zariah.

Donations can be made to The Alzheimer's Association.