Sylvia Holbert

February 22, 1914 - April 20, 2014

Sylvia Annetta Holbert, 100 years and 54 days of age of Stratford, Iowa passed on to her heavenly home on Thursday evening, April 17, 2014 at the Stratford Nursing and Rehab Center, where she had resided since October of 2011. She was born on February 22, 1914 on a farm northeast of Nevada, Iowa to Walter and Nettie (Nelson) Paulson, the oldest of 4 children. School days began at Fernald, Iowa in 1925. Sylvia graduated as valedictorian from Milford High School in 1932. She began working for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in Ames as an operator. She married Lowell Holbert at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa on February 22, 1938. They had 3 children, Janet Ann, Jane Ellen and Dennis Lowell. The couple began farming west of Ames until February 1944 when they purchased a farm northwest of Stratford. Sylvia was an active partner in a busy livestock operation. They continued farming until they moved to Athens Woods Estate in March of 2001. She loved to cook, sew and entertain people. Sylvia was blessed to serve in the Stratford First Baptist Church as a teacher, Women’s Missionary Society President, Church Clerk, Missions Treasurer, and Memorial Building Fund Treasurer during the years of 1978 to 2003. She was also a 4-H leader and an active member of Webster County Farm Bureau Women. Her parents; husband Lowell in July of 2001; and her brother, Lavern, preceded her in death. Survivors include 2 daughters; Janet Galloway and husband Jerry of Stratford, Iowa and Jane Ritland of Shawano, Wisconsin; 1 son Dennis Holbert and wife Pam of Albany, Oregon; 15 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren; a sister Bernita Hunt of New Berlin, Wisconsin; and a brother Norman Paulson of Millbrook, Alabama, Services will be held on Monday morning, April 21st at 10:00 a.m. at the Stratford First Baptist Church in Stratford, Iowa with Pastors Harold Richardson, Jim Mead and Mike Fendley officiating. Interment will be in the McGuire Bend Cemetery northwest of Stratford. Visitations will be at the Church on Sunday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the family present during that time to greet friends. Visitations will continue on Monday morning from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service. In memory of Sylvia, memorials may be directed to the Stratford First Baptist Church Mission Fund.