Gale Beatrice Holmquist

Gale Beatrice (Smith) Holmquist, age 91, of Buffalo, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on November 12, 2025.

She was born on April 12, 1934, in Wadena, MN, to Gordon and Beatrice (Palm) Smith. She grew up in Buffalo and graduated from Buffalo High School in 1952.

In 1953, she married Dwight Holmquist at the Buffalo United Methodist Church, and together they shared almost 50 years of marriage until Dwight's passing in 2004.

Music was always a central part of Gale's life. She had a natural gift for music and an even greater gift for sharing it; she taught piano to countless students in the Buffalo area for several decades. She lent her talents to church services both locally and in the Minneapolis area, to community theater productions, and to area orchestras. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (1980) and later her Master of Music from the University of Minnesota (1982).

Outside of the piano lessons and concerts, Gale remained active and healthy. She downhill skied into her 70s, traveled the world, biked through breathtaking landscapes, and even participated in triathlons back in the 1980s-long before it became popular as it is today.

She was a caretaker in every sense of the word, tending to her family, friends, and especially to Dwight during his illness, always putting others first. Her heart was kind.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Dwight; parents, Gordon and Beatrice Smith; brother, James Smith; and several brothers and sisters in law.

Gale is survived by her children, Ward (Julie), Drew (Shannon), granddaughters, Tiffany (Tendai) Muyengwa and Charamea (Dani) Pollock; sister, Susan (Dan) Sanders; sisters-in-law Shirley Holmquist and Sharon Skytte; brother-in-law Ed Kussman, and many other relatives and friends.

Memorial Service will be held Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 11:00 AM with visitation one hour prior at the Buffalo United Methodist Church, 609 8 th Street NW, Buffalo, MN. Inurnment at a later date at Lakeview Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to The Peterson Chapel of Buffalo. Online condolences for the family may be directed to thepetersonchapel.com.