Russell Holzman

Russell Holzman, born February 6, 1926; died March 9, 2012

Throughout his life, Russell Holzman always said he was a lucky man. He wondered how he was so fortunate in life. Russell was born Russell M. Hall. His father, Charles, was a tenant farmer in Wisconsin. Charles died when Russell was about 5 years old. Russell was the youngest of four boys, his mother, Anna (Hashultz), must have felt her boys would be better off without her, because in the midst of the great depression, the year after her husband died, Anna took her own life. The two oldest boys, Lowell (Scotty) and Kenneth were able to work the farm, but the two youngest - Russell and Gordy were placed in an orphanage, Winocotte Home in Neenah Wisconsin. Russell received excellent care while in the orphanage; his elder brother Gordy protected him. They were all of 6 and 8 years old. Their elder brothers (they must have barely been teenagers) worked every day in the fields of Wisconsin, and vowed one day they would become rich enough to get their younger brothers out of the orphanage, becoming a whole family again. They never did.

I once asked my father what it was like during this time, if he had running water and electricity. Growing up poor, an orphan, how could he consider himself lucky? He laughed at me, no electricity, no running water, but in the middle of those cold Wisconsin winters, they gave him a pot beside the bed. He felt he was fortunate to have such luxuries. He said he was one of the "lucky ones" to literally "have a pot to piss in".

The turning point came in Russell's life when he was adopted by Peg (Hilton) and John Holzman, at the age of 11. It was a virtual miracle for a boy to be adopted at that age, and many times throughout his life he tried to figure out "why me, why was I chosen"? John was the principle of the local high school, and Peg was an English teacher there. Russell was indeed fortunate to have been chosen. Quite simply, Peg fell in love with the little orphan boy, and so, he was adopted. But his brother Gordy was not, and the dream the elder boys had, of reuniting their family, was shattered. The family never reconciled these issues. Peg and John were of modest means, but as far as Russell was concerned, he entered a world of the "privileged class". He went from the orphanage, to being the son of the high school principle, and this was while he went to high school. His brothers on the other hand, would never leave the farming community. How could Russell be so lucky?

Russell Holzman enlisted in the Navy as soon as he was eligible. He served in the Pacific on the USS Woodson, a destroyer escort, during World War II. Throughout his life, Russell was very proud to have served. He never exaggerated nor glorified his navy experiences, just a very young man from Wisconsin, seeing the world for the first time, from the South Pacific to the Philippines. Russell was a "radio man" and could recite Morse code into his later years. One evening in the Pacific, he took a message over the radio (in Morse code of course) "please inform Russell Holzman that his brother, Gordon Hall has died". Gordy died from complications of inoculations he received in the Army Air Corps, at a training base. Russell was devastated, he says "Gordy was the finest of us all, why him, and why not me? Why was I the lucky one?" Gordy may have volunteered to take part in a medical study, he may have been taken advantage of because he was an orphan, or it just may have been an unfortunate accident. We will never know. Russell never questioned it; he just took it as best he could, and moved on. Wondering how he was the one so fortunate.

After the war, Russell obtained a college degree from Northwestern University, then married Marjorie (Austin) and had four children. They divorced in 1968 Russell then married the love of his life, Joyce (D'Andrus). After having a successful career in advertising, working in the Hartford Connect area for years, Joyce and Russell retired and moved to Venice Florida in 1988. There, they enjoyed their retirement years with many friends and family until Joyce passed away in January 2011. Russell was devastated by this loss.

There are so few people around today who have endured the hardships Russell overcame in his life, and go on to lead such a positive life. He never felt he came from a disadvantaged background, he considered himself privileged to have loving people care for him at the orphanage, and then to be adopted into such a respected home. He never asked for a government hand out, he gave to his government and was very proud to have served his country in World War II. He was thankful for the opportunity to leave tenant farming in Wisconsin, earn a college degree and lead a successful, professional career. Russell considered himself a lucky man. He was. And for those of us who knew him, well, we are lucky too.

Russell is survived by his four children, Nancy L. Ceaser, Douglas G. Holzman, John H. Holzman and Russell B. Holzman; 7 grandchildren, Stephen J. Holzman, Justin C. Holzman, Sarah Tinker, Elizabeth Ceaser, Ben Ceaser, Austin Holzman, and Davis Holzman and two great grandchildren, Lilly Tinker and Isabelle Tinker. He is also survived by his beloved dog Shandy, a West Highland Terrier ("Westie").