Edwin Elmer Birkholz

Edwin Elmer Birkholz

passed away on No-

vember 10, 2018 sur-

rounded by family that

loved him dearly. Funeral

services will be held on

Saturday at 2:30 pm at the

Garrison Church of God.

Visitation will be held on

Friday from 5 to 7 pm at

Thompson Funeral Home

in Garrison. Burial will be

at the Garrison City

Cemetery.

Eddie was born in

Garrison, ND on August

16, 1926 to Christ and

Rosella Birkholz. He was

the second of 4 children.

He grew up the son of

hardworking parents.

After he completed the

8th grade, like his older

brother David, he stayed

home to help out and

work in his Dad’s

blacksmith shop. His

work ethic was to be en-

vied. He lived through the

dirty thirties and the

Great Depression; it made

a lifelong impression on

him. He was a magician at

repurposing and fixing

things that had lost their

value to others.

He met the love of his

life, Adeline Jane Meyer

from Washburn ND, &

they were married at her

parent’s home in Wash-

burn by the Justice of the

Peace on July 16, 1948.

They made their home in

Garrison. Ed supported

his family working those

early years for Dave Ro-

binson at his ranch on the

Missouri River. He

worked later on the

Garrison Dam project as a

carpenter and then for

McGray and Benschoff

Implement as a parts man.

In 1962 he started his em-

ployment at the Garrison

Memorial Hospital as a

maintenance man. He fi-

nally retired in 1986

spending the next 32

years hunting, fishing,

and working on many

projects. He was a very

talented man and could

build or fix most any-

thing. Many of the homes

in his neighborhood have

a wind vane he built of

one kind or another on

the house or garage.

His last months were

spent in Alaska with his

son Terry and family ab-

sorbing all the love and

affection he could stand.

He was especially fond of

his grandchildren and

great-grandchildren. The

hugs and kisses for

“gramps” were unending.

He passed into eternity

without fear, anxious to

see his beloved “Toots”

again.

The family extends

heartfelt thanks to Ancora

Hospice Care of Alaska.

He is survived by his

two sons, Carl (friend,

Rose), Terry (Kim), grand-

children, Chris (Crystal),

Jennifer (Terry) Atz, Jeff

(Goa), Jonathan (Jennifer),

Brock (Stephanie) and Jor-

don, great-grandchildren,

Austin, Maddie & Shelby

Atz; Dax, Adele & Brynn

Birkholz, brother and sis-

ter-in-law, Melvin (Pat)

Birkholz, sister-in-law,

Shirley Birkholz, and

several nieces & nephews.

He was preceded in

death by his wife Adeline,

his parents, brother David

& sister Lorraine Lucas &

her husband Roy.