Zelda May Holgers

Zelda May Holgers passed away April 25, 2012 in St. Anthony, Idaho at the age of 95. She was born in Ruthven, Iowa, January 31, 1917. She moved to Merced, California when she was one year old. As a young woman she moved to Berkeley, California, followed by her mother and her younger sister. While working in Enner’s Restaurant she met William J. “Bill” Holgers. They were married in 1942. Zelda and Bill had two children—Bruce and Janet—whom they raised in Oakland in a house they built themselves. Zelda lived in later years in Santa Cruz, California and recently in Driggs, Idaho. Zelda was especially dedicated to her family, supporting her children’s activities as a Girl Scout leader and volunteering her time with other organizations. She was a gifted seamstress, and enjoyed classes in sewing and craft work at the Studio One Art facility in Oakland. She always put her family first, and was skilled at organizing many family camping vacations at the Russian River. After raising their children, she and Bill traveled to Scandinavia (Bill’s homeland), and explored Europe together. Zelda was preceded in death by her husband Bill, her brother Melbourne Hedrick and her sister Margaret Youtz. She is survived by children Bruce (Breta) Holgers, of Santa Cruz, California and Janet (Steve Smart) Holgers, of Driggs, Idaho; grandchildren Linnaea (Peter) Holgers James, and Larson (Serena Palumbo) Holgers, of Santa Cruz, California and Neil Smart of Boise, Idaho and Hailey Smart of Greeley, Colorado and three great grandchildren. The family will celebrate her life with a memorial service in California this summer.