William Holst

William Otto Holst, known to all as Bill, passed away peacefully on March 12, 2026, at the age of 94 in Ankeny. Born in Sedalia, Missouri, to Louise and Ernest Holst, he graduated from Smith Cotton High School before serving in the Air Force. He went on to attend the University of Missouri on a basketball scholarship, playing all four years and earning a degree in Agricultural Science.

In 1961, Bill married the love of his life, Patsy Ruth Stewart. Together they raised three children—Geoff, Karen, and Kevin—and shared 61 cherished years of marriage. The family lived for many years in West Union, Iowa, before settling in Osceola. Bill was an active member of the United Methodist Church, where he participated in numerous activities, including cooking meals for campers at Camp Wesley Woods. He was also involved with the Osceola Masonic Lodge and the Lions Club in West Union. A lifelong lover of cards, he enjoyed teaching Bridge classes and found great joy in God, his family, baseball, basketball, and the color yellow.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Louise and Ernest Holst; his wife, Patsy; his brother, Robert; and his nephew, Mark Dodge. He is survived by his sister, Suzanne (Bill) Knopf; his children, Geoff (Jana) Holst, Karen Cooper, and Kevin (Kerri) Holst; and his grandchildren, Cole Holst, Cheyenne (Mason) Holst-Jones, Brooke Cooper, and Jayden Cooper.

His family will remember a man who lived with quiet devotion to the things and people he loved most.