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Edith Pearl (Bergren) Holmstrom
1920-2017
WATERVILLE — Edith Pearl Bergren Holmstrom, 96, peacefully passed away on March 29, 2017, surrounded by family. “Grammy” was born in Tenants Harbor on October 13, 1920, the lone daughter of four children to Rudolph Bergren and Ivy Bulmer Bergren.
Edith attended schools in Rockland, eventually obtaining her GED and going on to take college courses. She married Erold Holmstrom, on April 13, 1940, and together they built their home and raised their son, Donald, in the Wiley’s Corner area of St. George. They were married for 70 years.
Edith was a hard worker, putting full effort into everything she did. Her fantastic cooking skills, especially Swedish fare, was learned from her future mother-in-law as they worked side by side for wealthy clients in Rockland. Edith re-entered the workforce after Don was old enough to stay home alone. First was packing sardines in Port Clyde, and because she was quick and efficient, made good money doing so. She also worked at Sylvania in Waldoboro, where she won monetary awards for coming up with innovative ideas to improve product production. Gram’s interest in helping people led to her working for the state of Maine as a supervisor for the Homemaker Services for Knox, Lincoln and Waldo counties.
Gram was a superb homemaker and enjoyed her flower and vegetable gardens. She could make any food taste good, and guests couldn’t leave without being offered coffee and Swedish pastries. She and her husband belonged to the Coastal Clippers Square Dancing Club, and she made her own dresses and matching shirts and ties for him. Gram handmade a special quilt for every member of the family.
You needed lots of time when shopping with Gram, because she couldn’t resist stopping to speak to every baby and young child in a store.
Edith was a lifelong sports fan and played basketball for Rockland High School. She loved to watch the Red Sox and Patriots play, and was thrilled when the Pats won the Super Bowl last month. She also enjoyed seeing her husband and son play baseball for the St. George Torpedoes, and selling tickets and hot dogs at their games.
Upon retiring in the early 1980s, Edith and Erold bought a neat little home in Venice, Fla., where they spent more than 25 winters making friends in the neighborhood and entertaining many guests from Maine.
Edith was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Erold, in 2010; brothers Bernard and Harold Bergren; nephew Tink Bergren; and great-grandson Nicholas Higgins, in 2007.
Survivors include her son, Don Holmstrom, and wife, Jane, of Winslow; grandchildren Britt Salisbury and husband, Roger, of Benton, Lisen Chesley and husband, Harvey, of Clinton, and Kyle Holmstrom of Pittsfield; great-grandchildren Jake Higgins and fiancée, Kori Paige Ellis, of Waterville, Danielle Chesley of Clinton, Alex Chesley and Heather Freeman of Smithfield, Emma and Kaysa Salisbury of Benton, Alan Michael Salisbury of Scarborough, and Hudson and Harrison Holmstrom of Pittsfield. Gram was also blessed with one great-great grandchild, Deven Young, of Fairfield. Also surviving is her brother, Donald Bergren and wife, Cora, of Owls Head, and nephew John Bergren and wife Karen of Brunswick.
A special daily visitor was Oak Grove “Mayor” Charlie Quimby.
Edith truly loved her family and friends so much, and she was loved and cherished in return. We’ll miss her dearly.
A service will be held at the Wiley’s Corner Baptist Church in St. George on May 7, 2017, at 1 p.m. Refreshments will follow at the nearby Grange hall.
The family would like to thank the helpful and loving staff at Oak Grove Center.
A special thanks to MaineGeneral Hospice for making Gram’s last few months as comfortable as possible.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to MaineGeneral Hospice, P.O. Box 828, Waterville, ME 04903-0828 or online at, give.mainegeneral.org/hospice.
Arrangements under the direction and care of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, 445 Waterville Road, Skowhegan.
