William “Willy” Holmstrom
Posted By Ballard Sunder Funeral Home On March 14, 2022 @ 10:46 am In 2022,Obituaries | 20 Comments
William “Willy” Holmstrom, age 23 of Eagan, passed March 6, 2022.
Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Saturday, March 26, at St. Michael Catholic Church in Prior Lake starting at 1:00pm. A public visitation will be held on Friday, March 25 from 4-7pm, at Ballard Sunder Funeral and Cremation in Prior Lake and one hour prior to the Mass of Christian Burial on March 26.
Livestreaming will be available at St. Michael Catholic Church’s website https://stmichael-pl.org/ and by clicking on the “Mass and Services” tab.
William “Willy” Frederick Holmstrom was born in Burnsville on April 8, 1998 to parents Jack and Cindy Holmstrom and was raised in Savage, MN. At an early age, Willy was already charting his own path. From dressing up as a pirate for his brother’s T-Ball games to exploring the woods with his fellow Boy Scouts, he had a diverse and ever-changing set of interests throughout his childhood. With his quick wit and approachable grin, Willy easily made friends in the numerous activities he enjoyed. He participated in trap shooting, choir, school plays, and was a talented artist and musician. Willy expressed himself in everything he did and left an impression on everyone he met.
After graduating from Burnsville High School, Willy was eager to provide for himself while searching for his calling. He worked several service jobs before deciding to spend his life helping others. He began pursuing an associates degree at Normandale Community College with the goal of becoming a Chemical Dependency Counselor. Having faced the struggles of addiction himself, he drew from his own challenges as a source of purpose and inspiration to leave a positive impact on the world. While working toward his degree, Willy was employed in the clinic at Sage Prairie where he flourished in his many roles as Office Manager, Lead Administrator, Medical Record Clerk, Medical Billing Specialist, and Laboratory Assistant. While at Sage Prairie, he also became a Board Certified Peer Recovery Specialist through the State of Minnesota. He was passionate about helping others to become better versions of themselves and cared deeply for his friends.
Willy passed away unexpectedly on March 6, 2022. Although he is gone, his spirit remains in those who loved him, especially his parents; Jack and Cindy Holmstrom; his brother, John (Julia) Holmstrom; grandma, Jeanne Holmstrom; and many other relatives. Willy’s second family was made from the many great friends he surrounded himself with, and they too will miss him dearly. Willy is preceded in death by his grandparents, John “Bud” Holmstrom, Wilfred and Mary Sartor; and uncles, Ned Holmstrom, William Sartor, Robert Sartor, and his uncle and godfather, John Mullenmeister.
Any monetary gifts received by the family will be donated to an addiction treatment nonprofit in Willy’s honor.
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Like Dan d said you will be missed my friend my condolences go out to your amazing family! You will be missed!
willy , you have left a hole in our hearts. My life was better because you were in it. You are loved , and you will never be forgotten my friend. Your light shines bright little brother. I love you so much. You made the world a better place. Rest in peace willy. Donnie
I feel blessed to have known you in my life and to have walked beside you in your journey. Rest now Will…you will never be forgotten.
Mr. and Mrs. Holmstrom, you raised a wonderful young man. He was a great light to many and was selfless in helping others. He will be greatly missed.
Rest easy Willy … you will be missed.
Willy was a joy to be around. Spending time with him during school years and in religious education classes every week was always fun and filled with laughter. I appreciate his presence in my life more than I can describe and I know it will be so missed by those closest to him. I am sending all my love and support and prayers to his family and close friends.
Will,
How grateful I would be to have one more “good morning hello”, another friendly reminder about life or just a smile. Your untimely absence has left a hole in the places you used to roam. I will be forever grateful to have watched you blossom into the man that has had an impact on so many lives. You are one of the most resilient, admiral, and friendliest people I have ever had the privilege to know.
The lessons you taught me have shaped my life! Sometimes our best teachers do not stand at a chalkboard. From you I learned that sometimes we have to sit on the ground to meet some where they are at; until they are able to lift their gaze from the earth, I will sit on the ground to meet them in your honor.
You have been an absolute blessing to so many people! I will honor the gifts you have bestowed upon me. Until we meet again! K
You don’t know me but my name is Pam Lanhart. My son Jake and Willie graduated the same year from Burnsville. I wanted to reach out because we lost Jake to his substance use disorder on October 23, 2021. Like your son he had been in recovery for a long time and it was such a gift to our family. https://www.wildheartsadventures.org/jacob-lanhart
If you ever want to reach out you can message me on Facebook at Pam Jones Lanhart. I just want you to know that you are not alone and your family is in my prayers.
Oh Will, I miss your silliness and always smiling face at the clinic. Your absence is painfully missed. Fly high with the angels, dear Will…
Please know that you have our sincere sympathies in this difficult time. We are so sorry for your loss.
I’m so very sorry to learn of the death of your son and brother. I never knew him, but I believe I worked with Jack at LTF. In any case, condolences from our family to yours.
Im gonna miss our shenanigans, and you didn’t know how much you saved me. Rest in Peace Willy.
My sincere condolences for the Holmstrom family as I have I had the privilege of knowing three generations of the family. I cannot express my sympathy in words.
I can only offer my support and heartfelt thanks for having the privilege for knowing the family, and always be assured that I am here here for you.
Your family is always in my thoughts and prayers.
Every time Willy’s name comes up, a distinct image of him comes into my head. On show and tell day in the second grade, he arrived in his little Boy Scouts uniform with the biggest smile, rosy cheeks, and bleach blonde hair. He was so excited to show off his little knickknacks. I remember I had no idea what any of it was, but got excited from the energy that he had. We met up with a friend about four years ago, and as we were eating our Taco Bell in the parking lot, I told him of this vivid visual I’d get in my head every time I think of him. The same smile, giggle, and excitement came out of him. While we didn’t share a lot of memories, I’ll forever be grateful to have had meaningful conversations with him about his aspirations and passion to help others.
I’d like to think you can see this Willy. Hope this memory brings you a smile just as it always does for me. I wish we got around to making those plans to catch up like we talked about. I wish I reached out when I was thinking of you.
As we’d always say to each other,
“Hope you’re doing well”
Thank you, Erika, for sharing our second grade memory of William!
Best friend. Time too short.
Cindy, Jack and John,
I am so saddened by the death of William. Your family was such a gift to M. W. Savage. I had the pleasure of watching both boys grow during their years in elementary school. I will pray for peace for your family.
I love you dawg I’ll forever keep you in my heart
Your hugs were as infectious as your laugh. Thank you for being my friend when I thought I was the odd one out. Will miss you, Willy.
Willy was a very close friend of mine for many years, and unfortunately although we grew apart, I will never forget the countless memories we shared. Willys enthusiasm about history and anything outdoors was infectious. He earned the nickname scat master in cubscouts because of his expertise on wildlife and his ability to identify different animal tracks and “leftovers”. I find myself still thinking about the many good memories he left with me and others. My deepest condolences to his family and close friends.
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Rest In Peace Buddy! Will Miss You!