Joanne L. Holte

Joanne Holte passed away on November 24th, 2021, at the Galeon in Osakis, MN, surrounded by her loving family after a long battle with dementia. Joanne Lois Haugtvedt was born in Fargo, ND, at St. John’s hospital to Macel and Ernie Haugtvedt on July 14th, 1948. She graduated from Hawley High School in 1966 and went on to pursue a Transcriptionist degree from Moorhead Tech graduating in 1967. 

She married the love of her life Dennis Holte on May 25th,1968 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Ulen, MN. 

Dennis was stationed in Vietnam one week after they married. The newlyweds were able to meet for R&R halfway through his tour in Hawaii; a trip they reminisced about for years. After discharge from the Army, Dennis and Joanne made their first home in Georgia.  They later returned to live in Moorhead, MN.  There, Joanne and Dennis had two children, Laurie and Ryan. In 1977, they moved to Hawley, MN, and built a home they cherished in the country.  

Joanne worked at the Metropolitan Bank after receiving her tech degree. Later, when the children were older, she began working for Glyndon Lutheran Church. She then went back and received her Medical Transcriptionist degree at Moorhead Tech and worked for Dakota Clinic Northport, and then the Oncology Center at Meritcare; then for a period of time at Lutheran Social Services. She retired from Meritcare working from home as a medical transcriptionist.

Joanne had a huge heart and did almost anything for anyone. In her early years, she spent a lot of time sewing and making crafts for the church bazaars.  She hemmed curtains and pants for her kids and nieces and nephews. Joanne also gave many home perms to her family members.  She also enjoyed shopping and owned many purses and shoes; hunting for deals at Herberger’s was a favorite pastime.  She loved dachshund dogs; and spoiled many of her own!  She spent many years at her parents’ lake home on Little Pelican Lake near Detroit Lakes and had countless stories to share of time spent there and at Olson’s Resort. 

Joanne was preceded in death by her parents, Macel and Ernie Haugtvedt; her in-laws, Peter and Esther Holte; her twin sister, Joyce Fraser and sister, Karen; her loving husband Dennis; his siblings, Kermit (Norma) Holte, Gene (Freda) Holte, Marilyn (Norman) Selseth; and her dogs Mugsy, Poco, Greta, Heidi and Zoe.

Joanne is survived by her daughter, Laurie (Jeremy Swanson), Alexandria, MN and their children Kellan and Kolby; her son, Ryan (Melissa) Holte, Rogers, MN and their children Owen, Elise and Ethan; her sister, Karie (Dave) Robertson, Hawley, MN; her brother-in-law Bill Fraser, Tega Cay, SC; and her sister-in-law Carol (Rob) Ritchie, of Bothell, WA; her beloved dog Lille, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Memorial service will be held Monday, December 6, at 11:00 a.m., at Wright Funeral Home in Hawley. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.