Holger Frandsen

FRANDSEN , Holger May 12, 1904 - July 2, 2009 Holger Frandsen passed away at the Claresholm Willow Creek Continuing Care Centre on Thursday, July 2, 2009. Holger was the oldest Royal Danish Guard in the world and a charter member of the Royal Danish Guard Association in Western Canada. He was active in the "Guards" and enjoyed comradeship of his fellow former guards. One of his proudest moments was the Captain of the Guards saluting Holger with his sword while passing in parade on the streets in Copenhagen while Holger was visiting "the old country". Holger was born in Denmark, immigrating to Canada in 1927, and Claresholm in 1929, working as a hired man on area farms where he met and married the love of his life, Anne. They lived in Coleman during WWII and then bought a farm in Claresholm four miles south of the RCAF station. He then rented the farm to family and worked for the Defense Research Board in Suffield near Medicine Hat, until he and Anne retired to Claresholm in 1969. Holger ran the drop-in centre bingo for several years and also combined his love of visiting people with his Fuller Brush business. We remember him shoveling snow for neighbors in the winter and organizing horseshoe games in the summer. He was a great card player, taking on and beating his grandsons in Christmas cribbage matches right up until two years ago. Holger is survived by his eldest son Neil, in Lethbridge, his son Barry (Rita) in Calgary and their children Nicole and Kevin (Kathleen) in Calgary and Jason (Melissa) in Chicago. He is also survived by his sisters-in-law Gladys Nelson and Betty Erdman in Claresholm and by nieces and nephews in Alberta, Quebec, the USA, Greenland and Denmark. He was predeceased by his wife Anne and daughter Peggy as well as by his large family of ten brothers and sisters in Denmark. Funeral Services will be held at the Claresholm United Church on Monday, July 6, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. followed by a reception in the Church Hall. There will be a private family Burial later. The family wishes to thank Dee Williams and her staff at the Willow Creek for their outstanding care of our father. If desired, memorial donations may be made to Claresholm Transportation, Box 2076, Claresholm, AB T0L 0T0. Arrangements entrusted to LEYDEN'S FUNERAL HOME, CLARESHOLM. Telephone: 1-403-625-3212.