Edward Charles Holmberg Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Holmberg, Edward C. 8/17/1935 2/9/2021 Holmberg, Edward C., (Ed), passed away peacefully Tuesday, February 9, surrounded by his adoring wife Carol and children at the age of 85. He is survived by Carol Earnshaw Holmberg wife of 62 years, daughter Leslie Holmberg, daughter Darcy (Holmberg) Snyder (Spouse Craig Snyder, grandsons Ian and Colin) as well as son Brook Holmberg (spouse Jenny Green, granddaughter Perrine and grandson Eli) and sister Nancy Corey. A lifelong resident of Minneapolis, Ed never moved far from where he graduated from Kenwood grade school which allowed him to meet with classmates regularly at the Lowry café, to swap life adventures over coffee. Ed graduated from West Highschool in 1952 as a Valedictorian. After attending Macalester College in St. Paul for two years, he ventured from his home state to attend Principia College in Elsah, IL, where he majored in Fine Arts and graduated Summa Cum Laude. Ed and his bride, Carol Earnshaw, first met in 1955 during an English class at Principia College. Ed passed Carol a note during class asking her to lunch and they soon discovered they both loved to dance the jitterbug, sing in the school chorus, and discuss literature. Theirs truly was a match made in heaven. Ed's first love was his wife, kids and grandkids, but running a close second was his love of painting. He was a lifelong artist who took his first drawing classes at the Walker Art Center while in Kenwood elementary, and he eventually won a scholarship to the Minneapolis School of Art. He majored in Fine Arts at Principia College and won the Studio Art award during his senior year. Hoping for a career in the arts, Ed applied and was accepted to the Accademia di Belli Arte in Rome, Italy for a one-year program. To earn money for this adventure, Ed spent the summer pushing racks at Schlampp's Furrier (formerly located in Uptown on the corner of Hennepin and Lake). Ed Schlampp Sr. (store owner) offered Ed a job as advertising manager when he saw some of his drawings. But Ed had his heart set on Italy. Undeterred, Schlampp offered to hold the position for him and Ed even did some advertising for him while in Italy. While studying art in Italy, Ed landed a part time job doing fashion designs for the Italian Fashion house of Princess Caracciolo. When Ed returned in 1958, he married his college sweetheart, Carol, and spent the next 22 years working at Schlampp's where he expanded the furrier into an exclusive women's boutique. From 1981-1989, Ed moved on to start his own fashion business, "Edward Holmberg", opening his first store in the Butler Square Bldg. in downtown Minneapolis, and later adding locations in Edina and Wayzata. Eventually his stores would close, but Ed kept his toe in the fashion business by serving a select group of clients through trunk shows of New York designers while also diversifying his artistic talents with interior design styling, book illustrations, and watercolor painting. As an artist, Ed was known as a painter of flowers, showing his work in his studio at Northrup King for 15+ years. He was also an early supporter of the Minnesota Dance Theater serving on the Board of Directors for 10+ years. He was also a follower of the teachings of Christian Science and attended the Third Church of Christ Scientist in Linden Hills from the age of 5, where he was an active member. For his second act, he embraced being a grandfather, giving drawing lessons to his grandchildren, coordinating annual family trips to Florida, and he was always the best gift-giver in the family. Ed loved his life and said many times recently that he felt he had lived a good, full life. Maybe even charmed. Ed was generous, loving, funny, the best joke teller in the world; he brought the fun to every party he attended beloved father, husband, and grandfather who will be dearly missed. A memorial service will be held later this year once circumstances change to allow us to safely gather together in celebration of Ed's life.

Tributes

Edward Charles Holmberg

August 17, 1935 - February 9, 2021

Tributes

Edward Charles Holmberg

August 17, 1935 - February 9, 2021

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