Evellyn Holien

EVELLYN HOLIEN was born to Edwin and Audrey (Norton) Docken on December 9, 1921 at her grandparents’ farm right on the Minnesota/South Dakota line. As a young child, she moved with her parents to a farm south of Jasper, Minnesota where she was raised and attended school in District #70. She attended high school in Sherman, South Dakota for one year. She then transferred to the high school in Jasper, Minnesota and graduated from there in 1940. On February 24, 1941, she married Roy Holien in Luverne, Minnesota. Following their marriage, they moved to the Ole Holien homestead in Moody County, South Dakota to live and farm. In 1964, Evellyn became employed as an aid at the Pipestone County Skilled Care Nursing Facility. Three years later, she returned to school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to complete her training as a licensed practical nurse. After her graduation in 1968, she returned to the nursing unit in Pipestone and worked there until her retirement in 1990. Roy preceded her in death on June 9, 2007. After his death, Evellyn continued to live on the farm near Jasper until May of 2014, when she moved into Edgewood Vista in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. On Friday, November 11, 2016, Evellyn died peacefully at the Dougherty Hospice House after a short stay; she was 94 years, 11 months, and two days old.

Evellyn was baptized and confirmed at the Rosendal Lutheran Church. After she was married, she became a member of Bethania Lutheran Church. When this church closed, she joined Messiah Lutheran Church where she was active in the Ladies Aid and served as the Sunday School superintendent for many years. She was also a member of the Live-n-Learn Extension Club and the Sons of Norway. She participated in Civil War reenactments with Roy, and she served as president of the Jasper Historical Society. She also served as secretary for the Gideons Auxiliary. She loved to dance, and she was an avid Twins fan. She especially enjoyed gardening, caring for flowers, and traveling; she had visited every state in the union but Kentucky, Alaska, and Hawaii.

She is lovingly remembered by her five children, Ronald Holien of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Verlyn Holien of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Gwen Ristow of Round Rock, Texas, Mary (Rick) McClung of Canton, South Dakota, and Laurie (fianc, Bob Gilmore) Holien of Henderson, Nevada; four grandsons, Joseph (Theresa) Holien of Blaine, Minnesota, Jesse (Kim) Ristow of Austin, Texas, Josh (fianc, Becca) Ristow of Austin, Texas, and Eric McClung of Chamberlain, South Dakota; six great-grandchildren, Nathan, Claire, Ryne, Ruby, Leila, and James; one brother, Edsel “Dean” (Jane) Docken of Churchville, Maryland; and one sister, Bonnie Thompson of Garden Grove, California. She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy; her parents; and one son-in-law, Robert Ristow.