Date of Birth:
Friday, June 7, 1929
Date of Death:
Monday, July 22, 2024
Age:
95 years old

Lois Margaret Holland

Lois Margaret Nigon Reed Holland grew wings and went to heaven with the angels on Monday July 22, 2024, at the age of 95. She was born at St. Mary’s Hospital on June 7, 1929, to Lucy (Heaton) and John Nigon. She was the youngest of six children. She had two older brothers Ralph and Leonard Nigon and three older sisters Francis, Lucille, and Midge. She grew up on the family farm west of Rochester where she would go with her father to check for spring wildflowers while he checked the pasture. She continued to do an annual spring outing crocus picking, bringing children and grandchildren along with her until she wasn’t able to make the trek and nephew Steve took her on the 4-wheeler or in his truck to check for the crocuses. She graduated from Lourdes High School in the class of 1946.

After High school she entered the St Mary’s School of Nursing and graduated with a 3-year RN Degree in the graduating class of 1950. She has kept several lifelong friends from nurse’s training.

After nurse’s training she moved to Denver, Colorado with a few nursing classmates to be an office nurse. In Denver she met her first husband, Kenneth Charles Reed II. They were married at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, in Denver, Colorado. They enjoyed skiing, outings outdoors, and fishing at Grandma Reed’s cabin on the Big Thompson River. Her first two children were born in Denver, Colorado, Kenneth Charles (KC) Reed III and Michael Allan Reed.  Mr. Reed later died of a brain cancer on August 4, 1957.

Lois stayed in Denver one year and then returned to Rochester, Minnesota to be closer to family.  She raised her two boys as a single parent for seven years with the help of friends and relatives.

She married Joseph V. Holland at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Rochester, Minnesota on July 11, 1964 and continued to be a member of St Pius Church for about 65 years. They had two children Maggie (Holland) Hallock and Richard J. Holland. As her children got older, she went back to work as a nurse at the Assisi Heights Health Care for the Sisters of St. Francis from 1979 to 2002.

She enjoyed watching her children’s and grandchildren’s sports activities; football, cross country, soccer, track, and basketball; music concerts and marching band performances, and play performances. She was a member of St. Raphael Guild, the Lois Club, CCW, and The Quilters Sewciety. A favorite phrase of hers was “She who dies with the most fabric wins”.  She made quilts and other sewing and craft projects for her children and grandchildren. She corresponded with friends and relatives, writing letters frequently to keep in touch. She had an amazing memory for people, where they were from, their children and grandchildren, and made connections wherever she went. She enjoyed traveling and camping especially at State Parks where she could look for wildflowers and different birds. She brought her family to the northwoods of Wisconsin for a weeklong vacation at Lakewoods Resort for special family time swimming, fishing, and boating. She was an avid Minnesota Twins fan listening to their games on the radio when she did her household tasks and watching them on tv in her later years.

Lois was preceded in death by her parents John and Lucy (Heaton) Nigon, her siblings, Ralph (Agnes) Nigon, Leonard (Natalie “Tally”) Nigon, Francis (Leo) Maloney, Lucille (Steve) Flynn, and Midge (John) Manning and one son Michael Allan Reed, and daughter in law Cindy Reed.

She is survived by her children Kenneth (KC) Reed, his special friend Joy Duellman, Maggie Hallock, Richard (Sue) Holland, and daughter in law, Jan Reed; grandchildren, Jesse (Luisa) Reed, Christopher (Lisa) Reed, Andy (Deena) Reed, Kelli Reed, Conner (Teresa) Reed, Raelyn (Mike) Merschbrock, Nathan Hallock, Katelyn Hallock, Megan Holland, Josie Holland and great grandchildren, Donovan Reed, Finley and Declan Reed, Ava and Scarlett Reed, and Lucy Merschbrock, and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, August 3, 2024, at St. Pius X Catholic Church with Rev. John Sauer officiating. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7 :00 p.m. Friday, August 2, 2024, in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Rochester.

Memorials are preferred to St Pius X Catholic Church, Madonna Towers, or Lourdes Foundation.

Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com.