Karen Schellhas Holz

End of Watch: Friday, February 7, 2025

Karen Schellhas Holz, age 75, of Winona, MN, at Gundersen Health Care System in La Crosse, WI.

She was born August 18, 1949, and became the daughter of Norman and Dorothy (Giehler) Schellhas through adoption. She graduated from Winona High School. She attended one year at Rochester State Junior College. At the age of 19, she was involved in a head-on collision that left her at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester for 2 years. After her recovery she was married and had a son, Jeff. Karen held various jobs until she found her passion in law enforcement. She started at Winona County Sheriff’s Office as a matron and dispatcher. She then went on to work for Minnesota State Patrol as a dispatcher in the Rochester District and the Twin Cities District, eventually retiring from Rochester in 2011. She was united in marriage to Everett Holz on February 18, 2011 in Winona. Karen had elegant taste, and loved her bling. It was said that she would not even take the trash out without first putting on her makeup and fuzzy flip-flops with painted toenails. She enjoyed 50’s music, gardening, and loved her flowers. She and Everett enjoyed traveling, including trips to Branson, MO (their “second home”), Arizona, Florida, California, and everywhere in between. She was an animal-lover, and held a special place in her heart for her cats and dogs. 

She is survived by her husband, Everett; son, Jefferey (Jennifer) Schellhas; step-daughters, Heather (Josh) Jorgensen, and Katie (Chris) Crider; grandchildren: Chelsie (Aaron) Ingram, Abigail Schellhas, Maddie Schellhas, Hunter Schellhas, Wyatt Schellhas, Abagail Hansen, Alexis Jorgensen, Lillian Jorgensen, Gabriel Hansen; great-grandchildren: Rowen Ingram, Elijah Ingram; siblings: Wesley Sweigard, Sonja Haldeman, Linda Gravley, and Roland Schellhas; her group of good friends, Karen’s Kooky Kooks and Turkey Creek Trotters, and numerous friends throughout the country.

She is preceded in death by her parents.

A celebration of life service will be held Saturday March 15, 2025 from 12:00pm – 8:00pm at Witoka Tavern Ballroom. Private family interment will be held at a later date at Woodlawn Cemetery in Winona.