Mildred Lynette (Lagerlund) Holtcamp

1924-2022

We lost our Mildred, the priceless centerpiece of our family August 2, 2022, but we know she will have a joyous reunion with her family and friends that have passed before her.

Mildred Lynette Lagerlund was born May 30, 1924, at the Burlington Hospital…the third daughter of four children born to Ed and Hannah (Pierson) Lagerlund.  She was a lifelong resident of Skagit County and member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

Mildred developed a hard work ethic at a very young age as she grew up on the family farm.  The three daughters were expected to help with all the farm chores as their only brother Oscar did not arrive until she was 10 years old.  They all worked hard but had leisure time as well.  The family loved the water and would rent a cabin on Samish Island to fish and play on the beach as often as they could.  They eventually bought a lot and built on it.

Mildred followed the fashions of the time and enjoyed sewing for herself and her sisters, Enid and Mary.  She also loved to go skating at the local roller rink.  Church was always an important part of her life as well.  She was baptized and confirmed at Bethlehem Lutheran, and that is where she met the love of her life.  A dashing young man, Bill Holtcamp, caught the eye of this shy, pretty girl and held her interest for the next few years…and forever.

It was off to Business School in Seattle after graduation from Burlington High School.  During that time, she worked as a governess for the Howard family and enjoyed her time with the children.  But her mind was on Bill Holtcamp, and his on her, so she gave up on the school.  They were married in 1943 and were blessed with four sons and four daughters throughout their 69 years together until his death in 2012.

The Holtcamps homesteaded in Sedro-Woolley, so Mildred was now a part of their farm.  She was a gifted homemaker and managed her busy household flawlessly.  She was a good cook, always had meals for the farm help, and baked goods whenever someone should stop by for coffee.  In addition to motherhood and her household duties she helped with the farm chores and the gardens.  She loved a bargain and would watch for a sale at her favorite stores.  It was fun to come home from school and see what treasures our mother had found!  She had a good eye for quality items, told us always to dress “young”, and taught us to appreciate the finer things.  She was very interested in the arts…collecting, supporting, and volunteering her time at the Museum of Northwest Arts in La Conner.  Mildred was also a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Dairy Women, Soroptimist Club, Sedro-Woolley Museum, and a Bowling Team at Riverside Lanes.  She held many positions within these groups and was always a willing volunteer.

Mildred cherished her time spent with her large extended family and friends, often at the family beach house on Samish Island.  She enjoyed reading but liked being outside even more.  She took great pride in her beautiful garden that she and her friend Rosie Nagatani created, for her lovely new Henry Klein home built on the farm in the early 1970’s.  Bill and Mildred travelled to Sweden and Germany to visit relatives and research their ancestral roots.  She was very proud of her Scandinavian heritage and enjoyed lutefisk and lefse dinners whenever possible.  They also went to the Holy Land with their church group and rode camels.  Many road trips were taken also as they enjoyed meeting with relatives and seeing new places.

Mildred was young-spirited, fortunate to have a lifetime of good health, and she was an inspiration to all of us.  She was not afraid to tackle any chore, and when she set her mind to do something she was determined to get it done.  She was strong, wise, loving, giving, and always kept moving.  We will miss her warm, glowing presence.

Mildred was preceded in death by her parents, Edmund and Hannah (Pierson) Lagerlund; her husband, William/Bill Holtcamp; her daughter, Minda (Holtcamp) Von Allmen; grandson, Zachary Holtcamp; two sisters, Enid (Lagerlund) Sell, and Mary (Lagerlund) Vogel; two sons-in-law, Martin Groszhans, and Tom Wendover.

She is survived by her son, William/Bud Holtcamp (Ginny), Crawford, MS; daughters, Betty Groszhans, Bismarck, ND; and Sally Wendover, Burlington, WA; sons, Jim Holtcamp (Linda), Tom Holtcamp (Dolores), Joe Holtcamp (Liz), daughter, Gretchen Holtcamp all of Sedro Woolley, WA;  her brother, Oscar Lagerlund (Joyce) Burlington, WA; along with 12 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great granddaughter, and numerous nieces and nephews.

We were very blessed to have her with us for 98 years.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Northwest, Meals on Wheels, or Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00, on Saturday, September 10, 2022 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Sedro-Woolley, WA.  Share your memories of Mildred and sign the online guest register.