Lillian E. Holtmann

Lillian E. Holtmann, beloved wife, mother, step-mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, died on October 8, 2011. Lillian (Jaeger) was born in Milwaukee, WI on June 26, 1927 the youngest daughter of Herman and Margaret (Nicklas) Jaeger. She married Donald Simasko, also of Milwaukee, WI, in 1951. They moved to Casper, WY, where they started a family (Andrew, Joel, and Steven). From 1956 to 1959 they also lived in Salt Lake City, UT and Farmington, NM, before settling in Anchorage, AK, where their fourth son (James) was born. In addition to raising four boys, Lillian contributed to the creation of an oil exploration company in Alaska with her husband Don. Business interests led to the family relocating to Colorado in 1974. After Lillian and Don divorced in 1979 she returned to Anchorage where she met Bill Holtmann, a warm and generous man who could match Lillian's skills on the dance floor and the card table. Lill and Bill eventually moved to SE Washington and settled in Vancouver where they married in 1995. The adventurous spirit that brought both Lill and Bill to Alaska never left and was channeled into exploring of the country in their motor home. The RV adventures continued for many years until a recent decline in Lill's health. Lillian's warm spirit, conversation, wit, and friendship around the card table and elsewhere will be missed by all who were lucky enough to have made her acquaintance. Lillian is survived by her husband Bill Holtmann; her sons Andrew Simasko, Joel Simasko, Steven Simasko, and James Simasko; 4 step-children, Marci Wright, Tamara Mendosa, Dean Holtmann, and Fred Holtmann; sisters Antonio Bellart and Louise Dibb; and numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at the Memorial Lutheran Church in Vancouver, WA. Family suggests in lieu of flowers donations be made to Memorial Lutheran Church Memorial Fund or Luepke Senior Center Dance Fund. Cascadia Cremation & Burial Services is in charge of arrangements.