Mary Beth Holmes

   Mary E. Holmes (Marybeth) 70 died in her South Sioux City home July 17, 2014 after a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.  She was comforted by the love of her family around her and now rests in the hands of Jesus in heaven.    Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Michael Catholic Church in South Sioux City with Rev.  Jose Mendoza officiating.  Visitation will be Monday  from 5-7 pm at Becker - Hunt Funeral Home with the family present at 6pm and a wake and rosary service at 6:30pm.  It is the wishes of Marybeth for cremation and burial at St. Michaels Cemetery. This will occur at a later date with family present for the service.   Marybeth (Anderson) Holmes was born April 11, 1944 to George C. Anderson, Sr. and Augusta (Semrau) Anderson in St. Paul, Minnesota.  She lived in New Jersey for a brief time and settled with her family in the Morningside area of Sioux City, IA.  She attended Bishop Heelan Catholic High School and graduated. She had some college night classes. At high school, she met the love of her life and soul mate Frank D. Holmes.  They were married on August 29, 1964 in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Sioux City, IA.  After living for a short time in Sioux City, she and Frank moved to their permanent residence in South Sioux City, NE.    Marybeth was a well loved and respected member of the community.  Along with raising their own four children, she and Frank were foster parents for many years and helped to raise their niece from Texas.  She was very active in St. Michaels Catholic Church as a Lector and Eucharistic minister.  She was also a selfless caregiver taking care of her ailing husband Frank until he passed on July 8, 2010.     Marybeth is retired from the City of South Sioux City as a payroll clerk.  However, she held many positions within the city prior to her final position.  Some of these include working for the Parks and Recreation Department as a clerk and working as a dispatcher for the South Sioux City Police Department and in the Public Utilities Department as a clerk.   Marybeth had many passions in her life.  While church and family dominated those, she was an avid square and round dancer.  She and Frank were Past-Presidents of the Iowa State Square and Round Dance Federation.  They were also involved as officers and dancers at the local level with the Siouxland Square and Round Dance Federation.  They traveled widely throughout Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and parts of Minnesota both promoting square and round dancing and supporting local dance activities.  Besides dancing, Marybeth enjoyed casino style gambling, bingo, golf, fishing and swimming.  In the years following Frank’s death, she traveled extensively.  She has fond memories of trips to Las Vegas, trips to Atlanta, GA to visit family as well as trips to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, Savannah, Georgia and Tybee Island in Georgia with family.   Marybeth is survived by her daughters, Michelle Holmes of South Sioux City, NE and Beth Elder along with her husband Jimmy of Atlanta, GA; her sons, Timothy Holmes of South Sioux City, NE and Erik Holmes along with adopted son Michael Mcleran both of Atlanta, GA; and her grandchildren, Kathleen Elder and James Bryant Elder lll of Atlanta, GA.  She is also survived by her sister-in-laws, Rose Lepore of Houston, TX and Phyllis Hass of Sioux City, IA as well as 2 nieces, Margaret Dirks of Omaha, NE, and Victoria Geihl of Houston, TX; 2 nephews, Steven Hass of Sioux City, IA and Rob Geihl of Houston, TX and 2 great-nephews, Ryan Lee Dirks of Sioux City, IA and William Geihl of Houston, TX and many close family friends.  The immediate family would also like special recognition given to the caring physicians and nursing staff of Mercy Medical Center Oncology floor 7, our Mercy Home Care nurse Steffi, the caring doctors and nurses from June E. Nylen Cancer Center and the wonderful support team from Hospice of Siouxland (Jodie, Charlotte, Amy, and Mark) who have been our rock during the final months of her long battle with cancer.  Marybeth is preceded in death by her parents (George C. Anderson, Sr. and Augusta Anderson), a brother (George C. Anderson, Jr.), a sister (Judeth A. Anderson), her husband of nearly 46 years Frank D. Holmes, and a nephew (Todd Geihl).