Helen Holmes

A spunky Irish lass has left this earthly life to be embraced by heavenly arms. Helen Ann Holmes passed away on March 21, 2018 at the age of 90.  She was born June 20, 1927 in River Falls, WI, the 10th of 13 children to James Daniel and Florence Augusta Linehan. In those 90 years, she added laughter and love to everyone she met. Family was all important to her as was making people feel a spark of happiness in their day.  Any family get together was a memorable event. She gave us “so many happy moments with her humor, silliness, and cheerful spirit.” Laughter, jokes, hugs, kisses were always part of being with mother. As a family member stated, “she was a woman with the eternal smile.”

She is survived by her last sibling, Danny Linehan of River Falls, WI; children, Diane (Allan) Hoogheem of Hudson, WI, Nancy (Dale) Lapakko of St. Louis Park, MN, Tom (Debbie) of Maple Grove, MN, Heidi Holmes-Helgren of Rosemount, MN, and Karen (Steve) Holt of Cannon Falls, MN; daughter-in-law, LaDonna Holmes of Kenyon, MN; 20 grandchildren, Christian, Kevin, Bjorn, Ryan, Aaron, Björn, Reid, Annika, Zack, Ben, Kate, Lindsey, Adam, Erik, Mary, Sarah, Kayla, Maja-Lina, Leif, and Braedon; 26 great-grandchildren, Lauren, Isabella, Victoria, Sophia, Alexandra, Kellen, Ava, Katherine, Audrey, Greta, Evelyn, Charlie, August, Dahlia, Maddy, Grady, Adelaide, Myla, Connor, Drake, Aidan, Jenna, Elsa, Dorothy, Lyla, and Morgan; sister-in-law, Joann Holmes; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents; 11 brothers and sisters and their spouses; her husband, John Russell Holmes and his 5 brothers and sisters and their spouses; and her son, Jack Holmes.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, May 12 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Lundberg Funeral Home in Cannon Falls. Private family services will be held.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Jack Holmes Scholarship Fund or to the Wanamingo Jacks Baseball Team.