Kathryn "Katie" Holst

Kathryn “Katie” (Dubil) Holst, 102, a resident of Bettendorf, Iowa, completed her life on Monday, December 9, 2019 at the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf.

There will be a private service and burial will take place at Davenport Memorial Park.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Davenport Chapter of the Disabled Veterans or to the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House.  McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home of Bettendorf is assisting the family with arrangements.

Kathryn Dubil was born at home on June 24, 1917 in Bettendorf, the daughter of Charles & Katherine (Bednick) Dubil, who had immigrated from the Ukraine.  She was united in marriage to Alvin V. Holst on October 26, 1945 at a military chapel in Forestville, Maryland when he returned at the end of World War II after serving four years in the United States Army.  He preceded her in death on February 28, 2007.

Katie attended Bettendorf schools and later worked at State Furniture in downtown Bettendorf.  She grew up during the Depression in a family of nine children and learned to be frugal; saving, reusing and recycling everything.

Katie served 2 ½ years in the United States Navy during World War II at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC, developing war photos for the Pentagon.  She attended Hunter College in New York for training.  She also witnessed President Franklin Roosevelt’s funeral procession.  She is a charter member of Women in Military Service for America.  For years, along with her husband, she was a member of the Third Armored Spearhead Association, the Disabled Veterans Auxiliary and the American Legion.  She was also a member of the Farm Bureau.

Katie, a town girl, met Alvin, a farm boy, at a dance at the Northwest Turner Hall in Davenport, where their love for each other started.  They operated a dairy and hog farm in rural Bettendorf.  She was a busy farm wife who worked hard at everything she did; outdoor and indoor chores, raising chickens, selling eggs, cooking many meals a day, gardening, canning, baking delicious apple pies, interior decorating her home, spending time with her family and taking pride in all of their accomplishments.  She was affectionately called “Granner” by her grandchildren and will be dearly missed by her family and those who knew her, but we celebrate and are grateful for her wonderful life of 102 years.

Katie’s loving family left to honor her memory include her daughter and son-in-law, Sue & Bill Slavens; her son and daughter-in-law, Alvin Wayne & Diane Holst, all of Bettendorf; her grandchildren, Stacy (Jason) Volmer and Sally Slavens, all of Ankeny, Iowa, Zachary (Brooke) Slavens of New Berlin, Wisconsin and Mindy Miller (Chris Gingery) of Ankeny; her great-grandchildren, Emma and Dylan Miller, Zoe Sadie and Quinn Volmer and Nathan Slavens; her brother, Nick Dubil; her sisters-in-law, Ethel Holst and Phyllis Holst; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband, Alvin; she was preceded in death by her parents; her great-grandson, Lucas Slavens; her sisters, Anna Korbelik, Mary Lieshner, Eva Jugenheimer, Rose Griffin and Helen Glynn; her brothers, John Dubil and Andrew Dubil; and many sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.

Katie’s family would like to give special thanks for the excellent care given by Dr. Campbell, VA Dr. Glawe and the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House staff.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting Katie’s obituary at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com.