Lillian A. Holtz, 88, formerly of Westgate and Sumner, died Saturday, May 30, 2015, at Maple Crest Manor in Fayette.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 2, 2015, at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Westagte with Rev. Herbert Mueller, III officiating.  Private family committal will take place at St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery, Westgate at a later date. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday at Becker-Milnes Funeral Home in Sumner and for one hour preceding services at the church on Tuesday. Memorials may be made in her name to Maple Crest Manor in Fayette.

Lillian Anna, daughter of Otto and Alma (Reinking) Bartz, was born July 22, 1926 on the family farm in rural Westgate, Iowa.  Lillian was baptized on August 1, 1926 at St. Peter Lutheran Church, Westgate.  Lillian grew up on the farm with her two sisters and three brothers.  She attended Freemont Township country schools and was a graduate of the Maynard High School Class of 1943. 

She met Orville Holtz of Elkader at a Walther League event.  Lillian and Orville were engaged on Christmas Eve 1944.  They were married at St. Peter Lutheran, Westgate, on June 1, 1945.  They were the parents of six children:  Patricia Kay, Michael Dean, Jerry Lee, Kenneth Ray, Jeffrey Alan and Gene Henry.  Lillian and Orville were farmers until Orville’s death in 1985.  She moved to Sumner in 1986.  Lillian had been a resident of Maple Crest Manor, Fayette, since 2007.

Lillian was the grandmother of thirteen grandchildren:  Douglas Rowe, Erin (Rowe) Mahnke, Todd Holtz, Scott Holtz, Chad Holtz, Kevin Holtz, Travis Holtz, Jai Holtz, Amber (Holtz) Bathen, Ben Holtz, Emily Holtz, Chelsea Holtz and Nicole Holtz.  She had nineteen great-grandchildren.

Lillian enjoyed crafting and sewing and made many quilts for her children and grandchildren.  She was accomplished at needlework, creating beautiful tatted doilies and ornaments.  Lillian loved kids, cards, cats, the color yellow, family, friends and her God.  She enjoyed flower gardening and remembered fondly her time working at Cannon’s Greenhouse in Westgate.  When her children were in school at St. Peter Lutheran, Westgate, Lillian was very active with the school and also with the women’s ministries of the church.

Lillian is survived by daughter Patricia Rowe of Farmington, MN; daughter-in-law Jane Holtz of Sumner, IA and sons Jerry (Yvonne) Holtz of Cumming, IA; Jeff (Heather) Holtz of Alton, IA and Gene (Carol) Holtz of Maynard, IA; thirteen grandchildren and their spouses; nineteen great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Alma; her husband, Orville; infant son, Kenneth Holtz; son Mike Holtz; daughter-in-law Roma (Bruner) Holtz; son-in-law William Rowe; grandson Billy Mahnke; brothers Paul Bartz, Arnold Bartz and Otto Bartz; sisters Esther Bartz and Lydia (Bartz) Christensen

The family wishes to thank the staff of Maple Crest Manor, Fayette, for the compassionate care of our mother.