Donald Holt

Donald B. Holt, 88, formerly of Hackensack, died Saturday, Jan.10, 2009, at Bethany Good Samaritan Village in Brainerd, Minn. He was born March 26, 1920, in Thompson, Iowa, to Louis Edward and Bessie Holt. The family later moved to Mora and then to McGregor, Minn. He was a U.S. Army veteran having served as a drill sergeant in Texas and as a medic during World War II in France. From 1946 to 1981, he worked for the Minneapolis Star and Tribune. He spent his 35-year career working in the circulation department, primarily as a regional supervisor. Hundreds of paper carriers learned how to water-ski from him during the newspaper's Ski-O-Rama summer reward program. He married Lucile Mae Yngve in 1946 in St. Paul, Minn. They had three children and lived primarily in Richfield, Big Lake and Crosslake. Lucile died on March 10, 1979, after a courageous fight against cancer. Don later married Margaret Smith in Crosslake and they lived in Crosslake, Hackensack and Pequot Lakes. She died Nov. 9, 2003, also after a courageous fight against cancer. He was a longtime Big Lake School Board member and active in Saron Lutheran Church in Big Lake. He was later active in the Crosslake Lutheran Church and the Hackensack Union Congregational Church. Don loved to hunt, fish and spend time with his family. He also enjoyed golfing, traveling, gardening and cooking. He was a great family patriarch and he will be sorely missed and always remembered by all his "knotheads" and "knuckleheads." Don is survived by his children, Joan Nagorski, Worthington, Minn., Donald C. (Elizabeth) Holt, Brainerd, Minn., and Jean (Terrence) Nagorski,Longville, Minn.; grandchildren, Kathi Nagorski, Mike (Darci) Nagorski, Dean Nagorski, Dan (Julia) Nagorski, and Angellica Holt; great-grandchildren,Logan and Emma Nagorski; stepchildren, Al (Lynn) Smith and Jan Hawes; stepgrandchildren, Leslie, Nick, Josh and Joey; several step great-grandchildren; and sister, Arlene Paine, Maricopa, Calif. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Lucile; his second wife, Marge; his sister, Mildred "Millie" (George) Quinn; and half-brothers, Robert and Maynard Holt. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, January 17 at Kline Funeral Home in Pine River with Pastor Harris Hostager officiating. Friends may call one hour before services Saturday at the funeral home. Memorials are preferred toward cancer research or to your local food shelf.