Bernard Everett Holritz

Bernard Everette Holritz was born in Carson, North Dakota on October 25, 1921. He was the fourth child of Edward and Jennie Holritz. He accepted the Lord as his personal Savior through radio ministry in 1940. In 1942 following Pearl Harbor, Bernie enlisted in the Navy serving as a Petty Officer First Class and teaching radar to sailors. He married Jeanette Miller in 1945 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Following University training for ministry, Bernie and his wife joined The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) and served in Japan from 1950 to 1968. He was one of seven founders of the Pacific Broadcasting Association (PBA), a radio and television broadcasting agency (www.team.org) and helped found the Asagao Kyoukai (Morning Glory Church) in Tokyo. Between 1968 to 1991, he served first as the Executive Director of the North American office of PBA and then as Southeastern Representative for TEAM. Bernie was a gifted musician singing solos from the age of 9 until he was 99. Many recordings of his singing were made over his 90-year career. His final solo was sung in his home church in Atlanta in December of 2021 when he was 99 years old. He sang a song composed and accompanied by his daughter in law, Kathy (https://photos.app.goo.gl/74FmB9WnkhoKRo2L7 ) He also established and directed several choirs during his time in Japan. His life story and testimony were recorded on Unshackled in 2003 and can be heard here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zQDv5yIh8lrtXBJr8WgBmyBvn_qqLv-d/view He was also featured in the World Magazine in 2020 https://wng.org/articles/a-veteran-adjusts-to-bigger-plans-1620617787 Bernie retired in 1991 to care for his wife and moved to Knoxville to be near his son Paul in 1995, following them to Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 2002. In 2004 he moved to the Twin Cities to be near his daughter Karen. For the following 19 years he took part in several Bible studies and mentored several men until the end of his life. His burden for the Japanese people also continued following his return to the US in 1968. He returned to the country several times over the following 30 years to celebrate the anniversaries of the ministries he helped to start. In 2016 he invited retired missionaries to join him in praying for Japan on a bimonthly basis which he continued doing faithfully until his death. Bernie and Jeanette's story, "Memoirs of Miracles" is available in book form at Amazon.com. Bernie was preceded in death by his wife in 2011; his older siblings, Adolf Holritz, Alta Tollefson and Clarence Holritz; and his son-in-law, Dave Drake. He is survived by his daughter, Karen Drake of St. Paul, his son, Paul (Kathy) Holritz of Atlanta, and grandchildren, Brad (Megan) Drake, Heather Drake, Lani Chirindo, Munya Chimukangara (Nichole), Kundai Chimukangara (Brenda), Nathan Holritz, Jason (Theresa) Holritz, Josh (Kristen) Holritz, and Jeremy Holritz; great-grandchildren, Austen, Addison, Tadiwa, Brianna, Olanna, Tawana, Tinashe, Marc, Will, Gianna, Calvin, Chinua, Logan, Selah; and nieces and nephews, Carol Farmer, David Holritz, Karen Jean Caron, Mike Holritz, Robert Tollefson, and Bruce Tollefson. A celebration of Life service was held at Calvary Church of Roseville on May 1. A recording of the service may be heard by clicking on this link: https://youtu.be/0d2TItd87qo. Our apologies for the quality of the recording due to multiple technical difficulties the church was experiencing on the day of the funeral service. FOX News provided wonderful coverage of his military interment including a gun salute and a "Missing Man" flyover done by WWII vintage aircraft. You may enjoy the FOX News report by clicking on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdZmCbA764Q Memorials preferred to Pacific Broadcasting Association (PBA), c/o TEAM, PO Box 1683, Carol Stream, IL 60132.

Tributes

Bernard Everett Holritz

October 25, 1921 - April 15, 2023

Tributes

Bernard Everett Holritz

October 25, 1921 - April 15, 2023

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