William Louis Holz, son of Henry C. Holz and Beth Shilling Holz, was born on February 25, 1928, in the family home where he lived most of his life.  He attended elementary and high school in Grand Junction where he graduated in 1945.  He attended Iowa State College for 2 years and then returned to work on the family farm.
 
On September 12, 1948 he married Doris Jean Husted.  The couple remained on the farm until 1958 when he returned to college and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1961.  They returned to the Grand Junction area to farm before moving to Kaukauna, Wisconsin where he worked as a design engineer for a farm equipment manufacturer.  In 1966, they again returned to the family farm where he farmed as well as designed and developed a variety of mechanical and engineering projects.  In 1978, they moved to Cambridge, Minnesota where he worked as a design engineer for a specialty farm equipment manufacturer for the next five years.  In 1983, they returned to the family farm where they remained.

While an engineering student he won an Iowa State College of Engineering award in 1961 for designing and building a no-tillage system for row crops.  He was a Professional Engineer and a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

One of his greatest interests was working in his shop, where he built and repaired machinery.  His hobbies included collecting and repairing guns, target shooting, varmint hunting.  With friends and family he enjoyed playing cards and annual fishing trips to Canada.  He always had a passel of cats, ducks and other pets outside his shop, with the special ones carefully and amusingly named.  

He enjoyed reading scientific and technical journals, history books, hobby magazines and   The Wall Street Journal’s Editorial Page, which often provided him fodder for espousing his views on patriotism, individual freedoms and smaller government.

Most of all, he enjoyed discussions with family and friends.  Whether in his shop, kitchen or, in later years, at coffee-time he might drive into town where he could be easily engaged into a lively debate.  Many received special monikers from him that he echoed during greetings and farewells.

William Louis Holz passed away on Friday, May 16, 2008 at Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson. He was 80 years of age.  He was proceeded in death by his parents; his brother, Russell; his sister Belva; his in-laws Robert E. (Gene) and Lois Husted, in-laws Richard and Carol Berg; his nephew Doug Berg and his good friend Duane Rose.

Surviving are his wife Doris; his sons and their spouses, Mark E. and Susan Holz of Aurora, Colorado; Dr. Charles C. and Patricia Holz of LeMars, Iowa and Robert L. and Katherine Holz of Chicago; his grandchildren, Joshua and his wife Samantha, Christopher, Daniel, Sarah, Katherine, Peter, William and Margaret; his great-granddaughter, Addison Holz; his brothers, Royal Holz and Robert C. Holz; his brother and sister-in-law Fred and Verna Morford and many nieces and nephews.