Bernard Holland

Bernard Holland, age 90, of Spicer, died Friday evening, May 27, at Bethesda Heritage Center Nursing Home in Willmar following a courageous battle with bone cancer.

Memorial services will be 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4, at Peterson Brothers Green Lake Funeral Home in Spicer. Interment will be at the Spicer City Cemetery with military honors provided by Henderson-Lewis American Legion Post #545 of Spicer. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Memorials are preferred to Rice Hospice.

Bernard Irvin Holland was born May 3, 1926 in Vincennes, Indiana, the son of William and Lura (Underwood) Holland. He grew up in Vincennes and Logansport, Indiana and graduated from Logansport High School in 1944. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was stationed in the Philippines. On August 26, 1948, Bernard married Fern Eggebrecht in Berrien Springs, Michigan. They made their home in Hinsdale, Illinois where Bernard attended the Hinsdale School of Nursing, graduating in 1952. In 1955, they moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota and Bernard attended the St. Cloud School of Anesthesiology, graduating in 1957. Following graduation, they moved to Spicer, Minnesota, where Bernard began his career as a nurse anesthetist. He retired from Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar in 1991 after working there for over 30 years. Fern passed away on December 31, 1997. On July 28, 2002, Bernard married Connie Hall and they made their home in Peru, Indiana. Connie passed away on April 6, 2015, and Bernard later returned to Spicer.

Bernard was a member of the Willmar Seventh Day Adventist Church and was active the Minnesota and American Associations of Nurse Anesthetists. He enjoyed gardening, woodworking, and antiquing, and especially enjoyed collecting antique clocks and kerosene lamps.

He is survived by three children, Donald (and Becky) Holland of New London, MN, Sharon (and Robert) McCloud of Spicer, MN, and John (and Roseann) Holland of Willmar, MN; nine grandchildren, Matthew Holland, Benjamin Holland, Philip Holland, Patrick (and Sara) McCloud, Shaun (and Heidi) McCloud, Jennifer Holland, Justin Holland, Brent Holland and Kathleen Holland; and nine great-grandchildren, Evelyn, Grace, Olivia, and Lucas McCloud and Elijah, Doreon, Cayden, Nature and Kyla Holland. Also surviving are three brothers, Ronald (and Mary) Holland of Stafford, VA, Marion (and Sharon) Holland of Soddy-Daisy, TN, and Adam (and Beverly) Holland of Hillsboro, OR; two sisters, Marilyn Benner of Logansports, IN and Hazel (and Jim) Brewer of Bryant, AR; and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wives, Fern Holland in 1997 and Connie Holland in 2015; an infant daughter, Lois Jane; a brother, Robert; and three sisters, Rita, Patricia and Lura Mae.

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