Glenda Holthaus, 64
Glenda Holthaus, age 64 of Cedar Rapids and formerly of New Hampton, died Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at her home.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 25, 2025, at Holy Family Parish in New Hampton with the Rev. James Goerend celebrating the Mass.
Interment will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery, New Hampton.
Friends may greet the family from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton. Visitation continues an hour prior to the Mass at the church on Friday.
Glenda Marie Holthaus, age 64, passed away unexpectedly at her home in Cedar Rapids on April 15, 2025, due to cardiac causes. Born on September 16, 1960, in New Hampton, she was the beloved daughter of James and Arlene (Rosenbaum) Holthaus and grew up as the second oldest of nine children.
Glenda attended St. Mary’s Catholic School until its closure, then attended the New Hampton public school, graduating in 1979. Her academic journey continued as she earned a secretarial degree from Ellsworth Community College. Then, while working full-time, she attended night classes to earn her bachelor of arts in accounting from Buena Vista College.
These educational endeavors laid the foundation for a successful career where her hard work and dedication made her a valued employee.
Professionally, Glenda was known for her dedication and meticulous attention to detail. She worked at Pat Brickley, CPA/Hacker, Nelson & Co., PC for 26 years. This was followed by employment at Five-Star Cooperative, Hawkeye Community College and the State of Iowa Department of Human Services.
Her strong work ethic was cultivated from a very young age, having been her father’s little farm hand on the family dairy farm. There she learned the values of hard work and responsibility, often found milking cows, feeding calves, pitching manure and wheelbarrowing silage down the 80-foot feed bunk in the cattle yard.
Glenda was also known as a caretaker. As a teenager, she volunteered over 100 hours as a candy striper at St. Joseph Community Hospital. In high school, she spent her summer months providing secretarial services and care to Chickasaw County Care Facility residents. These early service experiences laid the groundwork for a lifetime commitment to helping others.
Glenda’s life was rich with the love of family. She cherished the memories created with her nieces and nephews; hosting slumber parties, swinging on her front porch, providing Kool-Aid Jammers and snacks, and playing Santa Claus.
Her adventurous spirit led her on many spontaneous road trips, seeking new experiences and enjoying nature.
Her beautiful flower beds were her happy place and a testament to her love for the outdoors.
Glenda will be remembered as a source of inspiration in the lives of many. While her sudden departure leaves a void that cannot be filled, the legacy of love and laughter she leaves behind will forever be cherished by those fortunate enough to know her.
Very fittingly, God called Glenda home during Holy Week, having her punch out on earth’s time clock on “tax day,” April 15. Her hard work on earth is now complete.
Left to honor Glenda’s memory are her siblings, Gladys (Gary) Martin of Waucoma, Barbara Holthaus of Marshalltown, Susan (LeRoy) Gossling of New Hampton, Randy (Melissa) Holthaus of Plainfield, Nancy (Bruce) Dunahoo of Zearing, and Amy (Dale) House of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and great nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her cherished parents and her brothers, Rick and Roger.
