Harold B. Holtz, age 82, of Kiester, died on Thursday, June 3, 2004 at the Albert Lea Medical Center.

Funeral Services will be 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 8, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Kiester. Reverend Dick Steffen will officiate. Visitation will be held at Bruss &045; Heitner Funeral Home in Wells from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday and one hour prior to services on Tuesday. Burial will take place at Rice Lake Cemetery in Foster township with military honors by the Freeborn County Veterans Service Organization.

Harold Burdette Holtz was born December 20, 1921, the son of Lloyd and Edith (Klingbeil) Holtz in Brush Creek Township, Faribault County.

He grew up in the Bricelyn area and attended country school until eighth grade when he began helping farm with his father and younger brother, Lyle.

He entered the US Marines in 1942 and was honorably discharged in 1944.

On August 8, 1944, he married Gladys Simonson.

They owned and operated Harold’s Tavern in Kiester during 1953.

Harold then owned his own well drilling business along with his Dad and later drove semi-truck for Streater Industries until 1982.

He was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Kiester, the American Legion Post #56 in Albert Lea, and was a life member of the V.F.W. Post #1778 in Wells.

Harold enjoyed reading western novels, woodworking and spending time with his grandchildren.

He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife Gladys Holtz of Good Samaritan Center; five children, Sandra (husband Dean) Bendickson of Alden, Cynthia (husband Robert) Mathiason of Alden, Lyle (wife Karen) Holtz of Kiester, Rick Holtz and special friend Peggy of Joice, Iowa, Michael Holtz of Kiester; eight grandchildren, Eric Holtz of Red Wing, Chad (wife Karolyn) Bendickson of Alden, Terry Bendickson (special friend Kay Donavan) of Albert Lea, JoDell Bendickson of Lakeville, Kendra and Krista Mathiason of Alden, Meghan and Danielle Holtz of Walters; three great-grandchildren, Kaleb and Kaetlin Bendickson of Alden, and Alexander Bendickson of Albert Lea; one sister, Betty (husband Jim) Otteson of Sunray, Texas; two sisters-in-law, Margaret Simonson of Kiester, Gesina (husband Floyd) Brueggeman of Wykoff; and one nephew, David (wife Bonnie) Holtz of Wyoming, Minn.

He was preceded in death by his parents, stepfather Ed Wencl, his mother and father-in-law, brother Lyle Holtz, infant twin granddaughters in 1966, a niece Jackie Holtz, sister-in-law Betty (Holtz) Giese, and brother-in-law Richard Evenson.