Nell Holland

 Nelda (Nell) Frances (Montgomery) Holland, 87, of Vermillion, South Dakota, passed away on October 18, 2024, peacefully with her husband (Richard Holland) and Pastor (Katie Miller) by her side.

 Nell was born February 11, 1937, in Hollywood, California, the first daughter of Verner Lee Montgomery and Florence Roetta (McGavran) Montgomery.

 Nell graduated from High School in 1955 and attended College sporadically, eventually earning a degree in Music Performance (2006) after a career that included raising three children. 

 Nell married Richard Holland on November 19, 1983, at the United Church of Christ, Manhattan Beach, California, with Reverend Calhoun officiating. Nell and Rich were married forty-one years this November with a mixed family of five children (Nell with Nancy, Cheryl, and Melanie) and Rich with Deborah and David). Nell and Rich met in a four-wheel drive club camping all over Southern California, Arizona, and Mexico. After their marriage, their activities changed to early music performances at Renaissance fairs, Churches, Synagogues, and Mosques. They also attended bluegrass festivals, where Nell played banjo and Autoharp. They also attended the Opera at Santa Fe, New Mexico, collected southwestern art, and visited Anasausie villages while Nell collected American Indian dyed yarn to make several southwestern design tapestries. 

 Nell started work as a long-distance operator, then a keypunch operator (data input for large computers), then a programmer, then a System Analyst for international companies, and finally, she started her own business as a computer (mainframe) Program Analyst Consultant, retiring in 2001. 

 Nell especially loved and participated in off-road racing, sports car rallies, water skiing, making large and ornate macramé, and sailing from Los Angeles to Catalina. She also loved pets, including the usual dogs and cats, plus freshwater fish, giant snakes, rabbits, turtles, ducks, a tarantula, and chameleons.

 Nell was a United Church of Christ member in Vermillion, SD, where she played in the Bell Choir and Recorder Group and performed with her flute.

 Nell loved music and helping people learn and appreciate all kinds of music. She taught piano, flute, and recorder. She was the President of the Southern California Recorder Society for six years and organized workshops for recorder players of all levels. She loved helping young people appreciate the many benefits and enjoyment of music.

 Remaining to cherish Nell's memory are spouse Richard Holland; children Nancy Hughes, Melanie Rippey, Deborah Hamilton, and David Holland; brother Harold Montgomery; nine grandchildren; and twelve great-grandchildren.

 Preceding Nell in death are children Cheryl Brown, parents Verner and Florence Montgomery, and sister Helen Hasty.

 Nell’s life will be celebrated on November 23, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. at the United Church of Christ in Vermillion, SD. 

 Memorial donations in Nell’s memory may be directed to the Cancer Society and/or United Way.