In Chuck Holderby’s paradise there is super glue. There is WD 40, a tire pump and leather shoe polish. As nothing made his little girls feel more wrapped in his love than tip-toeing out to the garage to his magical workbench where fixed barbie jeeps and reattached model horse tails miraculously appeared. His love has always been shown in the content, quiet corner of his garage where that handmade workbench was created with pride to fix his little girls’ toys, oil their squeaky roller skate wheels, keep their bicycle tires safely pumped, and ensure they had perfectly polished shoes to be worn with Sunday dresses. These acts of love are where he found his peace. It was his corner of heaven.
Charles Jesse Holderby was born in Chicago, Illinois to Jesse Mathius Holderby and Jean Ayrea Holderby. His proud parents brought their baby boy directly from the hospital to the train station and boarded a train headed to Wisconsin where they made a happy home and he became a proud big brother to Phyllis and Karen. He enjoyed spending his summers during WWII helping with farmwork in North Dakota. He also discovered a love for ice hockey and would often reminisce fondly of his days on the ice. But his boyhood heart belonged to his German shepherd, Judy, who adored her boy so much that she waited for him every day in the schoolyard. He graduated from Menasha High School in 1948.
Chuck first attended Lawrence College, then later graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1953 with a degree in Business Administration. After graduation, and just before the end of the Korean War, Chuck enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served with the 465th Forward Artillery Battalion as a forward observer for two years. He took great pride in the German he was able to practice while stationed in Germany and never missed an opportunity to ask, “Sprichst du Deutsch?”
After the Army, Chuck took a job representing a packaging machinery company in Omaha, Nebraska where he also attended The First Central Congregational Church. It was at that church that he first met Nancy Ann Rischmueller, enchanted by her bright auburn hair and even brighter mind. He courted Nancy while she completed Nursing School at the University of Nebraska and they were married at the Congregational Church in Omaha in 1959. Nancy always told Chuck that she wanted to have six little girls and shortly after Chuck was transferred to Denver, Colorado, they began their little girl journey by welcoming Charlena Joyce. In 1962 he was hired by Bemis Bros. Packaging Service Company as a sales representative. He spent the first year in Minneapolis, where their second little girl, Dawn Marie, was born. After a short but memorable time in Atlanta, Georgia, Chuck and Nancy moved to Campbell, California in 1965, where Chuck would become the West Coast Sales Representative for Bemis Packaging Company. Three more little girls joined the family while living on their cozy little street in Campbell; Ann Lisbeth, Holly Lyn, and Blythe Kristen. After Blythe was born Chuck told Nancy he was beginning to take her plan seriously but they agreed that five little girls was really the perfect number. The couple spent thirty-three years in Campbell raising their five daughters. In his spare time outside of work he helped with their girl scout troops, volunteered at their sporting events, and kept all those roller skates in working order. During those years, the couple also enjoyed date nights at shows and concerts in San Francisco. Chuck so enjoyed those evenings with his lovely wife that Tony Bennett singing “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” became part of the girls’ childhood soundtrack, as their dad would never miss the opportunity to reach for Nancy’s hand or ask for a dance when it played. He was an instrumental member of the Congregational Church of Campbell, where he was an usher, served on multiple committees, and helped keep the church grounds beautiful.
Chuck retired from Bemis in February of 1993, but he continued to stay busy by becoming Nancy’s day care assistant and school driver. He surely found comfort at that workbench during those years, ensuring so many more children had shiny, working toys.
During the summer of 1998 Chuck and Nancy decided to retire officially in Lincoln, Nebraska to be closer to Nancy’s family. They bought a home on Capitol Lake, where Chuck built himself a dock and bought a boat. A dream come true! They enjoyed many wonderful years inviting friends and family to their lake home. They loved their sunset view and sipping wine on slow night cruises. But Papa Chuck was especially excited to pile his boat full of grandchildren for speedy rides around that little lake.
While in Lincoln, Chuck joined the Freemasonry Fraternal Organization and The Sesostris Shrine. Boy, did he enjoy the brotherhood and the service to his community. Nothing felt more like summer than gathering all the grandchildren in Nebraska to cheer on Papa Chuck while he did figure-eights on his tri-scat with his parade comrades. Accompanied by Nancy, Chuck volunteered to shuttle countless families in need of care to the Shriners Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In 2022, along with their oldest daughter Char and her husband Chris, Chuck and Nancy moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, to be closer to Ann and Blythe. The whole family savored our time together, enjoying frequent visits from Dawn, Holly, and lots of grandchildren. Chuck’s smile would light up the whole room with every greeting. It was during this precious time together that Papa Chuck taught us all the importance of slowing down and being absolutely present in each moment. A gift we will all cherish for a lifetime.
Charles is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Nancy Ann Rischmueller Holderby and his five daughters, Charlena Joyce Soule (Christopher) of Las Vegas, NV, Dawn Marie Gonzales (Daniel) of Chico, CA, Ann Lisbeth Barnson (Steven) of Las Vegas, NV, Holly Lyn Polizzi (Eric) of San Jose,CA, and Blythe Kristen Hall (John) of Las Vegas, NV. He is also survived by eleven adored grandchildren; Amber Gonzales Smith (Clint), Carlos Gonzales, Raquel Gonzales Baker (Thomas), Ariana Gonzales, Katelyn Barnson Monticelli (Zachary), Kirsten Barnson, Kelsey Barnson, Trent Polizzi, Marissa Polizzi, Jesse Hall, and Jacob Hall, as well as three beautiful great grandchildren; Thea Smith, Lucas Smith, and Paisley Monticelli. He is also survived by his youngest sister, Karen Holderby Wendling (Merlin) of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Chuck’s family rejoices in the knowledge that he has been reunited with the parents he adored, Jesse and Jean, and his younger sister, Phyllis. And we thank him for being a loving husband, father, papa, uncle, brother and friend. There are no squeaky roller skate wheels in heaven today.
In lieu of flowers, Chuck’s family invites you to make a donation to Shriners Children’s Hospital or the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
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