Obit: Holt, Cheryl Ann (1938 - 2007)

Contact: Shari Hahn
Email: steppinwest@elknet.net

Surnames: Holt, Mabie, Chase, Harnish, Melde, Bartelson, Oreskovich, Simplot, Kroll, Ivalis, Wilsmann

----Sources: Marshfield News-Herald (Marshfield, Wood Co., Wis.) Aug 29, 2007

Holt, Cheryl Ann(Sept 12, 1938 - Aug 23, 2007)

BLACK RIVER FALLS -- Cheryl A. Holt, 68, of Black River Falls, died Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007, in Saint Joseph's Hospital, Marshfield, following a courageous battle with cancer.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007, at the Black River Falls United Methodist Church and burial was in the Neillsville City Cemetery.

The Rev. Kathleen Jury and the Rev. Nathan Kroll officiated.

Casket bearers were Gary Melde, Thomas Harnish, David Bartelson, Brandon Oreskovich, Robert James Wilsmann, Steve Mabie and Daniel Bartelson.

Family and friends were invited for visitation from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday at the Buswell Funeral Home (www.buswellfuneralhome.com), Black River Falls, and from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church.

The former Cheryl Ann Mabie was born on Sept. 12, 1938, in Neillsville to Milo and Leona (Chase) Mabie. She was raised in Neillsville and graduated from Neillsville High School.

She married James "Jim" E. Holt on March 16, 1957, in Neillsville, Wis. The couple first lived in Neillsville and later in Arlington and Camp Douglas, before settling in Black River Falls in 1967. Cheryl and Jim celebrated their 50 wonderful years of marriage in 2007 with family and friends.

In 1973, Cheryl purchased the Black River Falls Gambles Store and also established a car wash. In 1974, her husband, Jim, joined her in the operation of the hardware store and the car wash. The couple owned the Gambles Store until 1982. Cheryl later became employed at Falls Florist before becoming employed as a secretary by her husband at Rural Insurance of Black River Falls. Cheryl retired in 2003.

She was a member of the Black River Falls United Methodist Church and sang in the church choir. She also was a member of Christian Women.

Cheryl enjoyed flowers, reading, movies, cooking and cats and dogs. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends. She was always a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She will be sadly missed by many.

Survivors include her husband, Jim; three daughters, Sherry (Tom Harnish) Holt of La Crosse and Shelley (Gary) Melde and Amy (David) Bartelson, both of Onalaska; four grandchildren, Brandon Oreskovich, Leah Raye Ann Simplot, Autumn Rose Bartelson and Daniel Bartelson; three step-grandchildren, April Bartelson, David Bartelson, Jr. and Rob Harnish; a step great-granddaughter, Alexis Bartelson; two sisters, Jean (Merlin) Kroll of Neillsville and Kay (Steve) Ivalis of Black River Falls; a brother, Steve (Mary Jane) Mabie of Neillsville; four nieces, Barbara Wilsmann, Marianna Kroll, Tara Mabie and Heather Mabie; three nephews, Robert J. Wilsmann, the Rev. Nathan Kroll and Stacy Holt; three sisters-in-law, Elizabeth "Bette" (Robert G.) Wilsmann of Neillsville, and Dixie Holt and Terrie Holt, both of Spencer.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother-in-law, Richard "Dick" Holt.

The family prefers memorials to the Black River Falls United Methodist Church or the American Cancer Society.