Maxine C. Holden

Maxine C. Holden, age 86, passed away peacefully following a heartbreaking battle with dementia. Memorial Mass will be held on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Le Sueur at 10:30am, with a visitation on hour prior at the church. Interment will be in St. Thomas Cemetery in St. Thomas, MN.

Maxine was born on November 10, 1939, in Mankato, Minnesota, the youngest daughter of Joseph and Margaret "Maude" Denzer. She spent her formative years on a modest farm outside Le Sueur, where she loved helping her father, her first great love, with his fruit and vegetable stand along Highway 169.

Maxine was a shy little girl. Because of the seven-year age gap between her and her sisters, she learned early to enjoy her own company. She treasured life in the little white farmhouse and would beg her father to be the first parent at St. Anne's to pick her up after school so she could return home as quickly as possible. Even in adulthood, long after her parents had sold the farm and passed away, Maxine wished she could spend just one more warm afternoon lying in the grass while her father tended his marigolds.

Through the influence of her mother, Maude, and their frequent shopping trips to the city, Maxine developed a keen sense of fashion and a lifelong love of beautiful things. In high school, she was voted best dressed, and notes written in her yearbook described her as the pinnacle of fashion and grace-a distinction she treasured as one of the highest compliments she could receive.

After spending a year studying nursing at St. Catherine's, Maxine returned home to Le Sueur. Being more than a few miles from home had left her terribly homesick, and the separation became too difficult to bear.

While attending a dance at Hardeggers in New Prague, Maxine was approached by the handsome young Thomas Holden. He asked her to dance and quickly became the great and enduring love of her life. The young couple married in 1960, and Maxine faithfully followed Tom to New Mexico while he served in the United States Air Force.

Eager to begin a family, Maxine and Tom eventually returned to Minnesota and made their home on the Holden family farm, where they raised their eight children. Maxine transformed the farmhouse into a warm and beautiful home-a place her children continued to love returning to long after they had families of their own.

Every weekday dinner was an elaborate labor of love. Her children knew to wash their hands, remove their baseball caps, and sit in their assigned seats, with Tom and Max at the head of the table. Maxine passed along the dinner etiquette she had learned at St. Kate's and expected her children to be the best versions of themselves, even when no one was watching.

The children always knew when Mom and Dad were planning a date night or an evening of dancing with their St. Thomas friends. Dinner would be served early, the scent of Maxine's beautiful perfume would fill the house, and Tammy Wynette's "Stand by Your Man" would play as she pressed her dress and put on her lipstick.

Few things brought Maxine more joy than a new baby. Whether it was one of her own children, a grandchild, a great-grandchild, or even the baby doll that brought her comfort during her final years, she nurtured and adored each one naturally and fiercely.

Holidays-especially Christmas-were elaborate celebrations. Maxine transformed the farmhouse into a winter wonderland, with tartan ribbon and evergreen garland adorning nearly every surface. For weeks, the aromas of cherished family recipes and homemade baked goods filled the air as she prepared to welcome all of her children home.

Maxine delighted in welcoming new additions to the family and watching them take in a Christmas scene that rivaled a Norman Rockwell painting. One of the family's most treasured Christmas memories came when a snowstorm arrived on Christmas Eve, forcing everyone to remain at the farm together for several days until the roads were cleared.

Over the years, Maxine often expressed a desire to leave the farm and move into a new home in town, where life would be simpler, less time would be spent maintaining a household, and everything would be close at hand. However, it did not take long after moving into her brand-new apartment for her to long for the farm-the home she had known for 50 years and the place where she left her memories.

Maxine's children are thankful for the long life they shared with their mother, grateful for the memories she created, and deeply proud of the legacy she leaves behind.

She is survived by her children, Kelly (Charlie) Angell of Savage, Minnesota; Kimberly (Tom) Goetzinger of New Prague, Minnesota; Lisa (John) Havlicek of New Prague, Minnesota; Dan (Sally) Holden of Le Center, Minnesota; Susan (Mike) Tank of Osceola, Wisconsin; Aric (Jill) Holden of New Prague, Minnesota; Jason (Starla) Holden of Canton, Illinois; and Megan (Chris) Heideman of Waunakee, Wisconsin; as well as 20 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Maxine was welcomed home by her beloved husband, Thomas Holden; her parents, Joseph and Margaret "Maude" Denzer; her sisters, Dorothy Deutsch, Betty Teschendorf, and Helen Sellner; and many dear friends and relatives.