Virginia L. Holt

Virginia Lorene (Cloyd) Holt was born the second child of three daughters to Albert Percy Cloyd and Rose Clara (Zimmermann) Cloyd on October 24, 1921 in Hebron, Nebraska. The family resided on Virginia’s grandfather Cloyd’s farm near Chester, Nebraska. She departed this life at the Waterford at Williamsburg in Lincoln, Nebraska Thursday morning, September 21, 2017. Her age was 95 years, 10 months and 27 days. In 1924 the Cloyd family moved to a farm near Swanton, Nebraska. This is where Virginia started school, attending kindergarten at the age of 5. The owner of the farm the Cloyd’s were renting from decided to move back to the farm, so the Cloyd family moved to Omaha in the summer of 1926 where Percy took a job loading trucks. From 1927 through 1929 the family resided on a farm near Gretna, Nebraska. In 1930, the family moved to a farm near Lewellen, Nebraska where they resided until 1932. At the age of eight, while residing near Lewellen, Virginia asked Jesus to come into her life and be her personal Savior. In 1932, the family moved to a farm near Oshkosh, Nebraska. This was where Virginia finished junior high school. In 1934, the family moved to Cozad, Nebraska. During her high school years, Virginia worked part time at the creamery. It was also during high school that Virginia met Loyd Holt. She graduated from Cozad High with the class of 1938 at the age of 16. Because of her young age, Virginia had to wait a year before she could enter the Lincoln General School of Nursing in Lincoln, Nebraska. She graduated in December of 1942 as a Registered Nurse. On March 6, 1943 Miss Virginia Lorene Cloyd was united in marriage to Loyd Alfred Holt at the Methodist Parsonage in Gothenburg, Nebraska. They honeymooned in the Black Hills of South Dakota. To this union three daughters were born: Toni Ann in Sterling, Colorado on January 6, 1948; Teri Jane in Ord, Nebraska on July 22, 1952; and Bette Jeanne in Cozad, Nebraska on February 12, 1958. In her early years Virginia’s dad called her “Virgie,” her school friends called her “Ginger” and Loyd called her “Ginny.” Loyd and Virginia resided in California where Loyd served as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army. Virginia became employed at a hospital in Riverside, California and later in San Raphael, California. After a few weeks, Loyd was transferred to Camp Hahn in Texas. Virginia was employed at a hospital in Brownsville, Texas. In 1945 the family moved to Cozad, Nebraska and traveled extensively as Loyd operated a hay grinding business. For a time they resided in Ord, Nebraska. They returned to Cozad where Loyd worked as a welder at Zook Machine Shop. Later, he operated a Gambles Store in St. Paul, Nebraska where Virginia was employed at the local hospital. They moved to their farm in the Williamsburg Community southwest of Elm Creek, Nebraska in 1959. Loyd preceded Virginia in death on February 3, 1984. Later that year, she moved to a condominium in Kearney, Nebraska. She moved to Northridge—northwest of Kearney—on August 1, 2005. She moved to the Waterford at Williamsburg in Lincoln, Nebraska on December 15, 2013 where she has since resided. Her hobbies included attending coffee and bridge clubs, sewing (especially doll clothes), reading and creating ceramic keepsakes. While residing in Kearney, she worked as a volunteer at the Good Samaritan Hospital until 2002. She was a member of the Hospital Auxiliary for ten years after moving to Kearney, and has been a member of the Lincoln General School of Nursing Round Robin since she graduated. Above all else, she always saved time to spend with her family and made each of them feel like her favorite. Virginia was baptized at the Methodist Church in Gretna in 1927, was confirmed at the Methodist Church in Cozad in 1935, and was a member of the Williamsburg United Methodist Church while living near Elm Creek. After moving to Kearney she attended the Evangelical Free Church. In addition to her late husband, Virginia was preceded in death by her father on April 13, 1956; her mother on December 25, 1988; and her two sisters Ola Mae Seitz in 2011 and her husband Harold in 1988; and Jean Maxine Westfall in 2006 and her husband Bob in 1982. She leaves to mourn her passing her three daughters, nine grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren: Toni Torrey and her husband Keith of Lincoln, Nebraska, their children Jana and Robb Maddox and their daughters Sydney and Jadyn of Lincoln, Janel and Rick Lorenz of O’Neill, Nebraska and Joseph and Dusti Torrey and their children Emmett, Nia, Malachi and baby of Alma, Nebraska; Teri Edeal and her husband Brian of Johnson Lake, Nebraska and their children Travis and Nicole Edeal and their children Blaire, Blaike, Holton, and Drexton of Lexington, Nebraska, Trent and Josie Edeal and their children Aurora and Violette Virginia of Indianola, Iowa and Tad Edeal and his children Landon, Harrison, and Boston of Kearney; and Bet Vogt and her husband Merlyn, D.D.S., and their children Megan and Edwin Bonner and their children Mac, Brooks, and Rhett, and MacKenzie and Brook Jobes and baby Davis all of Lincoln and Mallory and Horacio Miranda of Phoenix, Arizona; other relatives; and a host of friends. Virginia will be deeply missed by all who knew her and remembered for her smile, wit, constant encouragement and her unconditional love. Visitation will be at the O’Brien-Straatmann-Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney, Nebraska from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Sunday evening September 24, 2017. Private burial will be at the Kearney Cemetery prior to the funeral service. Celebration of Life will be at the 2 p.m., Monday, September 25, 2017 at the O’Brien-Straatmann-Redinger Funeral Chapel in Kearney with Pastor John Shields of the Parkview Baptist Church in Lexington, Nebraska officiating. Virginia’s wish was that memorials will be directed to Jim and Teri Wilson of the InFaith American Mission, 1625 Ave. F, Kearney, NE 68847. The Nurse The world grows better year by year Because some nurse in her little sphere Puts on her apron and grins and sings And keeps on doing the same old things. Taking the temperatures, giving the pills, To remedy mankind’s numberless ills, Feeding the baby, answering bells, Being polite, with a heart that rebels. Longing for home and all the while, Wearing the same old professional smile. Blessing the new born babies first breath Closing the eyes that are still in death. Taking the blame for the doctors mistakes Oh dear, what a lot of patience it takes. Getting Off duty at seven o’clock Tired, discouraged and ready to drop. But called back on special at seven fifteen With woe in her heart, but it must not be seen. Morning and evening and noon and night Just doing it over and hoping its right. When we lay down or caps and cross the bar, Oh Lord, will you give just one little star To wear in our crowns with our uniforms, new In the great ward above, where the “Head Nurse” is You.

Virginia L. Holt

October 24, 1921 - September 21, 2017