Carl Edward Holmgren, 71, Pipestone, died unexpectedly on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, at his home.
A funeral service was Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne. Interment followed at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Luverne.
Carl Holmgren was born on Jan. 11, 1949, to Eli and Margaret (Cattnach) Holmgren in Woonsocket, South Dakota. 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. After they were married, they 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, Colorado, where he worked for many years in the grocery industry. They divorced in 1996, and Carl moved back to the Midwest, settling in Pipestone. In 2013 Carl was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. He moved into Falls Landing Assisted Living, where he lived for the last seven years. He was still able to recognize everyone and enjoyed conversation with family and friends.
Carl loved fishing, cheering for the Vikings, and playing Scrabble. His most cherished time was with his family. He also enjoyed music, going to concerts, writing song lyrics, and listening to his collection of records and CDs. He loved making people laugh with his jokes and pranks.
Carl is survived by his daughters, Tammy (Darryl) Rabb of Kent, Washington, and Kari (Brent) Ostler of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; a granddaughter, Morgan Masse of Kent, Washington; siblings Gary (Donna) Holmgren of Luverne and Twyla (Randy) Allen of Pipestone; and one nephew, Jeff (Bobby) Holmgren of Luverne and their children, Zane, Zayda and Zariah.
Carl was preceded in death by his parents.
Memorials are preferred to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home, www.hartquistfuneral.com.
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