Colleen Ann Holmer

Colleen Ann Holmer August 19, 1938 – October 28, 2023 Wenatchee, Washington It is with heavy hearts that we part with our beautiful mother, sister, grandma, and great-grandma Colleen Ann (Sauder) Holmer. Over the last few months, Mom struggled with health issues that led to a stroke. In the weeks following this stroke she was kept cozy and comfortable in Jim and Julie’s home, surrounded by her family and close friends. Mom was born August 19, 1938, in Tremont, Illinois to Alvin and Marie (Fawer) Sauder. Mom was raised on a farm with her two younger brothers where she lived the simple life to the rhythms of agriculture. Some of the activities mom enjoyed while growing up included 4-H, sewing, and music. She graduated from Tremont High School in 1956 and continued her education at Western Illinois University. It was there she met her husband and our dad Richard Holmer with whom she spent 57 wonderful years. Mom and Dad’s first home was in Morton, Illinois, where daughters Julie and Jan were born. Her son, Jeff, arrived after a move to California. In 1970, mom and dad moved our family to Cheney, WA to escape the “rat race” and pursue teaching degrees at Eastern Washington State College. While in Cheney, Mom learned to love the great outdoors through our many camping trips. She was the master at balancing her schoolwork, our many activities, and making our funky rented house a home. In 1972, we moved to Cashmere for Dad’s teaching job. Mom continued her studies commuting daily to CWU in Ellensburg. Following the completion of her degree, Mom began her teaching career at Cashmere’s Vale Elementary School where she touched many, many lives in her 20 years of instruction. During their teaching tenures, Mom and Dad started building what was to become their highly successful rental house business in which Mom’s knack for making a house a home came in handy. Upon retirement from education, Mom and Dad enjoyed 25 years of wintering in Arizona. Mom’s specialty was getting to know everyone, whether it was in the quilting circle, on a hiking trail, at the softball field, or pickleball court...mom never met a stranger. Mom also loved using her retirement hours to practice and promote her passion for quilting. She spent many years demonstrating quilting techniques at the Chelan County Fair and other quilting shows in the area. In 2013, mom’s role changed to caregiver for dad. She did this with such love and grace, always putting Dad’s needs first. Sadly, they lost this battle when Dad succumbed to the ravages of Lewy Body Dementia in 2015. After Dad’s passing, Mom met some amazing new friends, including Charles Milne. Mom and Chuck spent seven wonderful years traveling and caring for each other. Chuck, thank you so much for loving our mom. Some of our family's most cherished memories of Mom include her slightly burnt cookies, joining her for an “Illinois nap”, working together on the rentals, and trip in the “Big Kahuna.” She had enthusiasm for a “good old mid-western” thunderstorm and for Larry’s Chicken. The family enjoyed the sound of her working away at her sewing machine and helping her grandkids learn to read, her beautiful flower beds, mesmerizing back scratches, and her ever-present Kleenex. As we all process her passing, it’s comforting to go to sleep wrapped in one of her many, many beautiful quilts. Mom was preceded in death by her husband Richard Holmer, her parents Alvin and Marie Sauder, and her special aunt Mabel Fawer. She is survived by her children Julie (Jim) Cannon of Entiat, WA, Jan Holmer of Wenatchee, WA, Jeff Holmer of Cashmere, WA; her grandchildren Jessica Holmer, Bryan Holmer, Whitney Woodword, Tanner (Tere) Schwind, Jacob Holmer, Sam Holmer, Cartner Schwind, and Lilli Ochoa; her great-grandchildren Tyson, Jaron, Brylnn, Sunny Colleen, Archer, and O.O. She is also survived by her brothers Tom and Mike (Marcie) Sauder, all of Tremont, IL. There will be a Celebration of Life in the spring of 2024. You are invited to view Mom’s online guestbook at www.HeritageMemorialChapel.com where you can share a memory. Our family would like to thank Mom’s hospice nurses for their care and compassion they provided for all of us.

Colleen Ann Holmer

August 19, 1938 - October 28, 2023