Shirley Holmstrom

Shirley Holmstrom, age 74, of Storm Lake, Iowa died April 24, 2010 at her home in Storm Lake. Shirley Holmstrom, the youngest of two daughters born to Herbert and Mildred Stemple Fransen, was born April 16, 1936 in Huron, South Dakota. At the age of 14 months the family relocated to Estherville, Iowa where she grew up and attended high school and Junior College. She always felt that she grew up in the best of times with wonderful parents. She married Jack Eike in 1955 and they were blessed with two sons, Jay and Scott. They lived for a time in Estherville and Fort Dodge before moving to Storm Lake in 1961. At one time they were affiliated with the Wholesale Market and later took an old depot and moved it from one side of the tracks to the other on Alta, Iowaâ€™s Main Street. They remodeled it and happily roamed the country looking for railroad memorabilia and antiques to decorate the newly opened Depot. Shirley owned and operated â€œThe Depotâ€ for nine years. She cherished and enjoyed interacting with and serving the people who frequented the restaurant. In 1982 she married Dennis Holmstrom and welcomed his daughter Staci into her family. That same year she sold â€œThe Depot.â€ She and Denny enjoyed the family reunions that took them to interesting places across the country, and they made trips back east to where their early ancestors settled and fought. They also loved to fix up old houses together. They made a great team. Shirley researched her family histories for over 40 years, starting in the days of handwritten letters before computers. Always a collector of something, she loved to go â€œjunkin.â€ She felt life was more fun if you were looking for something. She loved and appreciated her family, friends and life. Family get-togethers with good food that ended with a lively game of dominos were always a special occasion. She loved to talk with friends, especially her best friend, Denny. Survivors include her husband, Dennis; her children: Jay and Pam Eike of Broomfield, CO; Scott and Jackie Eike of Storm Lake, IA; and Staci Holmstrom of Covington, LA. Her grandchildren: Aaron Eike of Thornton, CO; Lauren and Emilio Romero of Thornton, CO; Amanda and Derek Eike Koehler of Storm Lake, IA. One great grandchild, Diego Romero. Sister Audrey and Estel Fairchild of Spencer, IA. Sisters-in-law: Joleen and Don Jensen of Red Wing, MN; Francis Bothell of Westlands, MI; Beverly Arnold of Orlando FL; Janet Decker of Gowrie, IA; Sandra and Charles Crowder of Ogala, FL; and Nona Holmstrom of St. Louis, MO. Brothers-in-law, Earl and Carol Holmstrom of Redford, MI and Clayton Holmstrom of Cresco, IA. There are also many nieces and nephews. Happy times were shared with all of them. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Shirley Holmstrom

April 16, 1926 - April 24, 2010