Grace Herrstrom

Grace Esther Herrstrom, July 18, 1915, to March 2, 2007. Grace Esther Holtkamp was born in Helvetia, West Virginia, to Reverend and Mrs. Benjamin Holtkamp. Her family also lived for a short time in Mitiwanga, Ohio, on Lake Erie, before moving to Meadville, Pennsylvania, where she grew up. She learned to play piano, organ, trumpet, and accordion at an early age. Her dream as a child was to be a theatre pipe organist at the silent theatre. Music occupied much of her spare time, and she touched many lives throughout her life through music. Her special love of the pipe organ was heightened by her relative, Walter Holtkamp of Cleveland, who founded Holtkamp Organ Company. Grace was proficient in her studies and graduated from high school at the age of sixteen. Following high school, she studied music at Western Reserve and at St. Louis Conservatory of Music. On February 1, 1941, Grace married Dr. William D. Herrstrom. They moved to Minneapolis, where they pursued Dr. Herrstrom's career in ministry, writing, printing, and publishing. The Herrstroms moved to Faribault, Minnesota, and then to Galva, Illinois, where they pursued a retirement income in the office equipment business, which grew into a new full time career. They retired "a second time" to New Boston, Illinois. Following Dr. Herrstrom's death, Grace moved to Arlington, Texas, and then to Waco, Texas. Even at Lake Shore Village Nursing Home in Waco, Grace continued to exemplify her love for Jesus Christ by playing hymns on the piano for fellow residents. She was known by the staff as "the happiest resident of Lake Shore Village." Grace is survived by her sister, Mildred Paulson, of Silverton, Oregon, and Mildred's family, her son Lyndon Herrstrom of Waco, Texas, her grandson, Reverend Eric Herrstrom, of Arlington, Texas, her granddaughter, Sue Alice Sauthoff, of Franklin, Tennessee, and her great granddaughter, Emma Grace Herrstrom, who is expected to be born later this month. A graveside service will be held at New Boston Cemetery in New Boston, Illinois, on Tuesday, March 6, at 1:30 PM, arranged by Dennison Funeral Home of Aledo, Illinois. Memorials may be given to Alzheimer's Association.