Sally Holl

Sally Frances Holl, age 99, passed away on Tuesday, Sept.2, 2025, at Milestone Senior Living in Rhinelander, WI, just 12 days shy of her 100th birthday.

Sally was born on Sept. 14, 1925, in Milwaukee, WI. She was the daughter of Franklin and Pauline (Landahl) Gruetzmacher. She graduated from Wauwatosa East high school in 1943 and attended Lawrence University in Appleton and Downer College in Milwaukee, where she reigned as Senior Prom Queen and was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She graduated from Lawrence with a BA degree in Art. One of her first jobs after college was painting china and glassware for a large department store in downtown Milwaukee.

Sally married her high school sweetheart, Donald Holl, on Sept. 6, 1947, when he returned home from serving with the Army in France, in World War II.

The newlyweds headed off to Logan, Utah, so Don could attend Utah State and Sally worked in a floral shop. After Don’s graduation, the couple moved to Black River Falls in 1950, when Don was hired as a Wildlife Manager for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. They moved into an upstairs apartment and welcomed a daughter, Susan, that same year. They built their new home on the outskirts of Black River several years later, doing a lot of the finishing work themselves. Sally painted murals on two bedroom walls and in the basement and continued to paint. During that time, she had two oil paintings that won purchase awards at the Wisconsin Rural Art Contest. The couple also adopted a son, David, in 1954.

While in Black River, Sally was an active community volunteer, becoming a Girl Scout leader and later heading up the local Girl Scout Council and Camp Fire Girls Association. She was President of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Black River Recreation Association and the Ladies Golf League. She taught arts and crafts classes for the local UW-Extension, participated in local theatre, was a Little League concession stand volunteer and was active in her Lutheran Church, both as a choir member and Sunday School teacher.

Sally and Don and their family moved to Madison in 1966, when Don accepted a position with the Wisconsin Department of Administration. Sally soon became part of the very active Madison art community, eventually becoming President of the Madison Art Guild(MAG) in 1972. She worked to produce numerous juried MAG “Salon” art shows, and other exhibits across the city and was a part of the Guild’s new gallery, “Artists Unlimited” on University Ave. in Madison. In 2006, she won the prestigious “Best in Show” award for a pastel work entitled “Sugar River”. Over the span of almost 40 years, Sally professional work was displayed at numerous juried shows and galleries across Wisconsin, including a Two - Women show at Olbrich Gardens, One-Woman Show at UW Arboretum, Featured Artist of the Month at the Three Lakes Center for the Arts, and exhibits at UW- Stevens Point, UW –Madison Memorial Union, Verona Public Library, and Charles Allis Art Museum in Milwaukee. Her paintings are part of permanent collections at UW and Methodist Hospitals in Madison, the Wisconsin Center Museum in West Bend, and the City of Oslo, Norway. Many homes across the city and state contain works by Sally, who regularly participated in the annual Hilldale Art Show and Art Fair on (and Off)the Square. She was also a member of Wisconsin Painters and Sculptors and Wisconsin Women in the Arts.

Sally and Don traveled extensively over the years, visiting Bali, Turkey, most of Europe, Equador,The Galapagoes Islands, Mexico, and every corner of the US, Hawaii and Alaska. They were caught up in the 9/11 tragedy when returning from Alaska, and were grounded in Seattle. They managed to get home by renting the last car, a tiny compact, at the airport on the following day.

Sally assisted Don in lovingly restoring a 1924 Buick Doctors’ coupe. Sally wrecked two sewing machines recreating heavy woolen upholstery for the entire interior and even did some welding on the fenders. And her talents didn’t stop there. Making silver and turquoise jewelry, rock tumbling agates, firing pottery in a basement kiln, re upholstering numerous couches and chairs, caning chair seats and even learning to juggle were just a few of her “hobbies” She was a faithful dog owner over the years and never missed the Westminster Kennel Club Show. She made sure her backyard birds were fed and watered all year long, even in her final days.

Fishing at the family cottage on Big Stone Lake in Three Lakes, WI was a passion, as was cheering on her Packers, Brewers and Badgers. Throughout her life, Sally remained active, being a skater, swimmer, skier, golfer, and a master of badminton and croquet. Don and Sally shared their adventures for almost 61 years. After Don passed away in 2008, Sally continued to maintain her home and drove until she was 96.

In 2018, with urging from her sons, Susan began a search for Sally’s birth mother and father. Sally and Don had tried to find her mother years before, but the search yield little real information. It was an extraordinary day in late December that year, when Sally was able to speak on the phone to her half-sister Janet and then, actually meet her half-brother Roger, and two of his sons. They shared pictures of their mother, who lived in Theresa, WI and swapped stories for hours. They all kept in touch regularly until Roger’s passing in 2023.

Three Lakes, Wisconsin was her second home, ever since her father built the original cottage near the Northernaire Resort, back in the 1940’s. She loved the Northwoods and the lakes, watching deer, loons, and ducks and making many new friends who became like extended family. She relocated to Rhinelander in 2021 to an Assisted Living apartment to be closer to family.

Sally is survived by her daughter Susan (Bill) Kordula of Three Lakes; grandchildren Andrew (Lindsay) Snyder of Prairie Village, KS; and Matthew Snyder of Nashville, TN; Tim (Laurie) Kordula of Three Lakes; Kristen(Kevin) Olinske of Elcho, WI; Michelle Kotarski of Weatherford, TX; David (Nita) Holl Jr. of Lafayette, CA; Donald Holl of Houston, Tx; and Sally Holl of Austin, TX. She is further survived by daughter-in-law, Myra Holl of Arkansas; sister-in-law Nancy Pieper of Sheboygan; half sister Janet Check of Black Creek, WI; seven great-grandchildren, seven nieces and nephews and two special second cousins. She was predeceased by her husband, Don; son David; brother Don Gruetzmacher; and half-brother Roger Pieper, of Sheboygan.

A memorial service for Sally Holl will be held Friday, Sept. 12 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 5701 Raymond Rd. in Madison, beginning at 3pm. Visitation will be from 2 until time of service. Sally requested memorials be made to the International Crane Foundation (https://savingcranes.org/donate/) in Baraboo, WI; the UW Veterinary College Foundation (https://secure.supportuw.org/give/ School of Veterinary Medicine Fund - 112841700) ; or Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. 

The family would like to thank the staff of Milestone Senior Living in Rhinelander and Moments Hospice for their loving care these past years and to Pastor Sheryl Erickson and staff of Good Shepherd for their assistance.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Services

608-238-3434