Louise Holderreed

Louise Holderreed, 94, of Castleford, passed away quietly at Woodstone Assisted Living Center on the evening of March 14, 2011. She had had a wonderful day visiting with her daughter Margie, who was visiting from Colorado, and her son and daughter-in-law, Bruce and Rena. The family thanks God for His grace in taking her home so quickly and peacefully. Louise Virginia Garber Holderreed was born in Rockingham County, Virginia on February 3, 1917 to Odes S. Garber and Stella E. Skinner. Loving relatives cared for her as a baby because her parents couldn't care for her at that time. Eventually, she was reunited with her family, which by that time included a brother Jake and a sister Ethel. She graduated from Broadway High School in May of 1934. After graduation, she worked in a factory shelling walnuts and saved her money to go to school. While attending Bethany Bible Training School in Chicago, she worked at Woolworth's lunch counter to pay for her room and board. It was during this time she met Andrew Holderreed who was studying to be a minister. They were married on May 30, 1941, and both graduated the following year in May. Louise and her husband were called to the mission field in China, but because World War II was still ongoing, they were sent to California to learn Chinese at the University of California, Berkley. On February 14, 1947 the family (including a 4-year-old son, Bruce, and a 10-month-old daughter, Mary, and a baby due in September) joined 450 other missionaries on a converted troop ship to set out for China. Their third child, Margaret, was born in Peking while they completed their language study. This was a time of great civil turmoil in China, and by April 1949, the American Consul advised all non-essential foreign personnel to leave in order to avoid becoming prisoners of war as General Mao Tse-Chung marched his Red Army across China. Louise and her family escaped in the back of a freight truck with one suitcase. From Chungking they were flown to Hong Kong where they waited for 3 months to be evacuated back to the States. They shared one room - Margie and Mary slept in dresser drawers, Bruce, Louise and Andy shared the only bed. On Christmas Eve the same year, Louise and her family boarded a freighter ship and left for India. After another two years of language study, they were assigned to a Christian boarding school in Palghar, India. There she made a home and not only cared for her family, but also cared for the school children and other personnel attached to the school. The family lived in several locations as Andy's assignments changed, and Louise made each place into a home. In addition to their mission assignments, she and Andy taught all kinds of skills to preserve food, make and repair clothing, and grow food in gardens to fight the ravages of endemic poverty. After completing 25 years of work in India, Andy and Louise returned to Tacoma, Washington, and began to minister in the Larchmont Church of the Brethren. Louise worked with the Fish Food Bank System, and spent many hours gardening, sewing and visiting with neighbors and parishioners. They retired from full-time ministry in 1982 and moved to Castleford to be closer to his sister Emma Wells and her husband Frank. The two couples spent countless hours together visiting, gardening, and canning. Together they made a return trip to India and revisited several places Andy and Louise had worked. In Castleford Louise again made a home for Andy and became a part of many projects that benefited others. She made many quilts for family and more for auction to raise college scholarship funds for Castleford students. Louise also taught anyone who would sit still how to crochet, knit, can and even to cook. She loved to make doll clothes for her granddaughters and great granddaughters. She and Andy always had a huge garden with lots of produce to share and preserve. On July 15, 2008, after a long battle with failing health, Andy passed away, and Louise moved to Woodstone Assisted Living Center. They had been married for 67 years. Although Louise dearly missed Andy during this new stage of her life, she found friends and began calling her room "home". She had many friends among the residents and staff, and will be missed. She was preceded in death by her parents Odes and Stella, her husband Andy, her brother Jake, and her sister Ethel. Survivors include her son, Bruce (Rena) Holderreed of Buhl, and daughters, Mary (Francis) Early of Elida, Ohio and Margie (Ken) Ullom of Wiley, Colorado. Also surviving are grandchildren John Woods of Buhl, Faron Woods of Nampa, Kathy (Mark) Bausman of Twin Falls, Rose (Vayle) Maudlin of Twin Falls, Rick Early of North Richland Hills, Texas, Missy (Kris) Torgerson, of West Palm Beach, Florida, Andy (LeAnna) Ullom of McPherson Kansas, Margret (Jason) Schutz of Pandora, Ohio, Becky Ullom of Elgin, Illinois, Russell Early of Elida, Ohio, and Robert Ullom of Wichita, Kansas. Great grandchildren include Josh Grimes, Ashley, Ronald and Ryan Bausman, Sean, Alyssa and Shaela Mauldin, Jordan and Shannon Woods, Ann Brooks, Landon and Linday Schutz, Alexandria and Ian Torgerson, and Jonathan Ullom. Also surviving are a sister-in-law, Rosemary (Chester) Keller of Portland, Oregon, and many beloved nieces, nephews, and great-great-grandchildren. Louise chose to be cremated and her ashes will be interred with her husband's ashes following a memorial celebration at 1P.M. on April 1, 2011, at Twin Falls Church of the Brethren. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions to either Heifer Project International or Habitat for Humanity.