Charlotte Rosa LaVars Holder
April 27, 1934 - June 30, 2017, WINDSOR CO
Charlotte Rosa LaVars Holder, 83, completed her earthly journey and went to the Lord in peace, with family at her side, on June 30, 2017, in Windsor.
Charlotte was born at home in a small orange growing community in Pomona, Calif. on April 27, 1934, to Herald Frederick LaVars and Audrey Elizabeth Gordon (LaVars / Lee). She lived most of her childhood years on an orange ranch. During her high school days she enjoyed many friendships, but her piano teacher was her very best friend. Also at that time, her interest in foreign languages was sparked. She attended Saint Luke's School of Nursing in San Francisco, but interrupted nursing school to marry a young army lieutenant, Lee Holder, Jr., who had earlier swept her off her feet at age sixteen. The two were married on Feb. 15, 1954, just prior to Lee's deployment to post-war Germany, where Charlotte soon joined him. They made their first homes in Schweinfurt, Bruchenau, and Wildflecken, Germany. They welcomed their first child, Lee Kurt Holder, in Aug. 1955 in Wurzburg.
With their son only six weeks old, they returned to the United States and lived in the San Francisco Bay area. Moving as required by Lee's career, they lived in El Cerrito and later Hayward, at which time their daughter Liese was born in the Oakland hospital. Their middle child, Lawrence (Larry) was born in Salinas, Calif. not far from Monterey. Lon was born in Laramie, Wyo., following a move from Cheyenne. Wyoming remained Charlotte's favorite state throughout the years. While living in Potomac, Md., their youngest daughter, Laurie, was born in Washington D.C. within sight of the White House. The family went on to live in Ann Arbor Mich., Chapel Hill N.C., Memphis Tenn., and Oklahoma City and Yukon Okla., before finally relocating to Windsor in 2015.
Charlotte received her bachelor's degree in German from Memphis State University at age 49. She also studied Hebrew, which was closely tied to her personal Bible studies and her love for the holy land of Israel, and tutored several of her grandchildren in the language.
An accomplished pianist, Charlotte taught all of her children to play piano and to appreciate music all their lives. She loved to listen to her children and grandchildren making music. On the baby grand piano that she and Lee purchased early in their marriage, she would often play songs from The Sound of Music, while the family sang along.
Following her salvation as a young child, Charlotte put faith in God first all her life. She also very much appreciated the "Jewish Roots" of her faith. Her main goal in life was to finish the work that God had set out for her to do, reminiscent of her mother's life verse from Philippians 1:6, "And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
She had a call to missions, which initially led to nursing school, and which later found its fruition as she devoted her life to raising her many children and grandchildren to know and love and serve the Lord. She also remained steadfast in praying for her husband Lee, who became a Christian later in life. Charlotte never ceased praying for the salvation and spiritual journeys of her children and grandchildren to her final days.
Charlotte was preceded in departing this life by her husband Lee; parents; sisters, Carole (Ostgaard) and Bernice (Beck); her beloved stepfather, Michael Lee; and many aunts and uncles. She is survived by her stepbrother, Mark Lee; and stepsister, Judy Lee (Beesing); also survived by her five children, Lee Kurt Holder, Liese Anne (and Tommy) Thomas, Lawrence Keith (and Rebecca) Holder, Lon Karl (and Trish) Holder and Laurie Kristin (and Ricky) Brashier; grandchildren, Heather (and Doug), Anneliese (and Judd), Lindsay, Maria, Lee, Claire (and Samuel), Matthew, Kristina, Joseph, Michelle, Sarah (and Nick), and Anna; and great-grandchildren, Isabeau, Eva, Asher, and soon-expected Alistair.
Services will be held at 9 a.m., Saturday, July 29, 2017, at Bethel Lutheran Church, 328 Walnut, Windsor with burial at Lakeview Cemetery, 32815 CO-257, Windsor, Colo. The stone, which she will now share with Lee, is inscribed with a reminder to us all that there is a life yet to come... "Until we meet again". As Charlotte wrote in her Bible, "Life is preparation for eternity."
It is requested that no flowers be sent. Memorials may be made to the Rosh Pinah Messianic Jewish Congregation, 2600 55th Place, Oklahoma City, Okla., 73112 (www.roshpinah.org), and the Jewish National Fund, 78 Randall Ave., Rockville Centre, N.Y. 11570 (www.jnf.org). Online condolences may be made at www.marksfuneralservice.com.
