Robert (Bob) E. Holverson passed away peacefully on October 4th, 2026 in Aurora, Illinois.
Bob was born in Newark, IL to John and Amy (Hall) Holverson on December 4, 1926.
He grew up on a farm near Stavanger and graduated from Newark High in 1944. He married Audrey McDermott in 1951. He farmed for several years before training to be an electronics technician. He then moved his family to Camillus, NY where he maintained a Remington Rand Univac I computer system for Sylvania. In 1963, he returned to Illinois working at Bakelite, and the Seneca Civil Defense depot, while also farming. In 1972 he took a job at Caterpillar in Aurora where he worked for 20 years, retiring in 1992.
Bob’s hobby and passion was flying, earning his private pilot’s license at 19. He had his own airplane, (at least 6 over the years) and many friends have stories of Bob flying them someplace. He was a member of Flying Farmers and the EAA, participating in many fly-ins, including AirVentuire at Oshkosh. He also loved taking camping vacations with family, making many memories traveling the U.S. and Canada.
Bob was always active in church; he grew up a member of Stavanger Lutheran Church. Later, he attended Newark Lutheran Church and New Life Assembly in Yorkville. He went on two missions trips to Russia with New Life Assembly. He was also active in Good News for Israel. After his retirement, he traveled around the U.S. to help build churches with MAPS RV volunteers.
Bob cared for his wife Audrey as she battled cancer, passing in 2001. In 2004 he married Carol Wolf, starting a new chapter in his life. They loved spending summers at the Mendota Hills Campground, before moving to Tennessee, where Carol devoted her life to lovingly care for him as his memory faded and he required more and more care.
Bob will be remembered for his faith in Jesus, his ready smile, his wit and wisdom, sense of humor and his ability to fix anything, which he frequently used to help friends, family, and anyone in need,
He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Beatrice and Florence Hall and his wife Audrey. He is survived by his children; Paul (Karen), Phil (Laurie), Craig, Sheila (Marlon) Mathre, and Eric (Joy), his sister Charlene Howe, his wife Carol, and her children: Joan (John) Schmidt, Cathy (Tom) Brandt, Karen (Jeff) Ingles, Tim (Sheryl) Wolf, David (Jacquie) Wolf as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Samaritan’s Purse, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Services will be at Praise Center Assembly in Ottawa, IL on Saturday Oct. 24th, with visitation from 9:30-11 AM and funeral service at 11:00. Interment will take place at the Norway cemetery immediately following the funeral. Family and friends are invited to return to the church for a luncheon after the graveside service.