Beverly Jean Hollesen, age 77, of Sioux Rapids, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake, Iowa.

Funeral services for Mrs. Hollesen will be held Saturday, April 1, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. at the First United Church of Sioux Rapids in Sioux Rapids, Iowa, with Associate Pastor Lonnie Meister officiating. Burial will be in Lone Tree Cemetery in Sioux Rapids.

Visitation will be held on Friday, March 31, 2006 at the Sliefert Funeral Home in Sioux Rapids.

Beverly was born November 13, 1928 in Marathon, Iowa to Lowell Burdette and Doris (Hopkins) Thomas. She was baptized as a young child at the Methodist Church in Marathon. Beverly was raised in Marathon by her paternal grandparents, Jim and Alberta Thomas. She attended first through twelfth grades in Marathon Consolidated School, graduating from high school in 1946. As a young child, Bev played piano and sang with her younger sister, Patricia, at the Methodist Church. During high school, she enjoyed taking piano lessons, singing in Glee Club and was a Majorette with the high school band.

Beverly and Harold “Dean” Hollesen were married on December 7, 1946 at the Methodist Church in Jackson, Minnesota. To this union two children were born, Ben and Deanna.

In 1953, the young family moved with a five-year-old and a five-day-old to Aurora, Illinois. Beverly was a stay-at-home mom until 1958. She then went to work at Western Electric. Their lives were busy and filled with love as they raised their children and attended school functions. They were active members of the Montgomery Methodist Church.

In 1970, Dean and Bev fulfilled their dream of returning to small town living when they moved back to Sioux Rapids and established “The Office,” which they owned and operated until their retirement in 1985.

Beverly loved her family, husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She especially enjoyed visiting with family and friends, cooking, gardening, needlepoint, fishing, camping and playing cards. Bev was eager to lend a helping hand to family and friends. She was a member of the VFW Auxiliary in Cherokee, Iowa, the VFW Cooties, the United Methodist Church in Sioux Rapids, the Sioux Rapids Area Historical Society, and a supporter of the VFW National Home for Children. Most recently, she was involved with in the Sioux Rapids Sesquicentennial in July of 2005.

Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Dean Hollesen of Sioux Rapids; son Ben Hollesen, Sr. and his wife, Marilyn, of Sioux Rapids; daughter, Deanna Johnson and her husband, Rick, of Montgomery, Illinois; grandchildren James Green, Jami Green, Cassie Johnson, Melissa Olson and husband Andrew, Ben Hollesen, Jr. and wife Val, and Anne Marie Hagedorn and husband Matt.

Beverly is further survived by her great-grandchildren: Tori and Cali Green, Aiden Green, Olivia, Ethan and Alex Olson, Tanner Perrigo and Elizabeth Hagedorn; sister Patricia Carter of Sioux Rapids; sisters-in-law: Fern Bright, Marge Stone and Laura Hollesen; stepmother Gladys Thomas and step-brother Dennis Thomas, both of Spencer, Iowa; several nieces, nephews, extended family and many friends.

Beverly was preceded in death by her parents; grandparents; special family friend Chad Perrigo; infant grandson, James Green III; brothers-in-law Elmer Bright, Roy Stone, Dale Hollesen, Kenneth Hollesen and Lyle Romine; as well as sisters-in-law Marlene Nelson, Lilah (Lyle) Romine and Mary Hollesen Fuller.

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