Holtz, Dale Ray 1934-2005

HOLTZ, NORTON, CROW

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 1/23/2008 at 15:21:56

MERRILL, Iowa -- Dale R. Holtz, 70, of Merrill passed away Saturday, July 30, 2005, at his residence.

Services will be 3 p.m. Thursday at Merrill United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Benjamin Meeks officiating. Burial will be in Hillside Cemetery, with military rites conducted by the American Legion Olson-Halweg Post 125 of Merrill. Visitation will be after 3 p.m. today, with the family present after 5 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Carlsen Funeral Home in Le Mars, Iowa.

Dale Ray Holtz was born Dec. 2, 1934, in Sioux City, to Arthur C. and Fayth V. (Norton) Holtz. He attended school in Hinton, Iowa, and later in Merrill. He served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean Conflict. While serving in Korea, he was wounded and received two Purple Heart Medals, along with several other combat awards. He was honorably discharged in January 1955.

He was united in marriage to Donna Lee Crow on May 30, 1957, at Adaville United Methodist Church in Adaville, Iowa. As a young man, he worked for area farmers until 1959, when he went to work for Sioux City Rendering. In 1961, he began his 25-year career working in the packing house industry. He had worked for Needham Packing and Floyd Valley Packing. In 1991, he began working for Wells' Dairy at the North Plant until 1999, when he retired due to his health.

He was a member of Merrill United Methodist Church and the American Legion Olson-Halweg Post 125. He enjoyed gardening and yard work, playing the guitar and keyboards, his 69 Chevy pick-up, spending time with his family and listening to Hank Williams Sr.

Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Donna Lee Holtz of Merrill; three children, Darla Dee and her husband, Mark Hansen, of Burbank, S.D., Dale Robert Holtz and his wife, Alanna, of Minneapolis and Dustin Lee of Merrill; a son-in-law, Keith Fischer of Merrill; six brothers, Arthur and Jon Holtz, both of Merrill, James Holtz and his wife, Delphine, of Rochester, Minn., Harlan Holtz and his wife, Vicki, of Sioux Falls, S.D., Marvin Holtz and his wife, Brenda, of Lawton, Iowa, and Louis Holtz of Sioux City; six sisters, Betty Ahlf of Hinton, Iowa, his twin sister, Darlene Vick of Litchfield, Minn., Judy Diller of Litchfield, Minn., Carol and her husband, Dan Gazinski, of Omaha, Janet and her husband, Don Doyle, of Sioux City and Mary Norton of Sioux City; four sisters-in-law; three brothers-in-law; six grandchildren, Kristen Carter, Shane Carter, Amber Williams, Scott Williams, Marie Fischer and Miranda Fischer; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two daughters, Debra Lynn Holtz and Diane Elizabeth Fischer; and three brothers, Allyn, Bobby and Melvin Holtz.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal
~Part of the Darrell E. Obituary Collection