Memories of her Father

Question in 1987 from Lennart Holmquist to Lillian Johnson about her dad, Wilhelm (Bill) Holmquist:"Can you tell me more about him? What was he like?"

What I can remember about my dad (Bill) was he was very kind and big-hearted and ready to help when and whomever needed help – yet was firm in discipline and had a strong faith in God and brought this to his children in the family life (helped me to accept the Lord very early in life – age 11 to be exact.) Took me to Sunday School didn’t just send me. The example he set before me – before all his children – was Christian principles – the Bible was read in our home – prayer was offered (many times we children were shy in praying but it soon came naturally). We attended many church services as a family – tent meetings – Evangelistic meetings and if we were going to visit Val and Aunt Nellie in Ross, Ind. for Sunday dinner and the afternoon, we would leave early enough to go to a little Sunday School in Griffith, Ind. And sometimes we’d attend the Baptist church in Gary in the evening or else come back home to Chicago early enough to attend Young Peoples’ meeting at the Swedish Baptist Church on 59th and Emerald Ave. I’m sure I owe my early Christian home-training for what my life has been and is as a minister’s wife and have enjoyed this life oh, so very much all through these years !

Dad (Bill) was fun-loving too-always ready to take us to the Lincoln Park Zoo – the Museums, Jackson Park Beach for swimming and roasting weeners and marshmallows – Oh what fun ! He’d let us kids go to the Chicago World’s Fair when it was in progress – also took us to the Circus when it was in town !

Sunday was a day for Sunday School & Church and having company come over and we would all sing around the piano, the old time songs of the church and choruses. We would hurry home from church on Sunday evening to hear “Amos and Andy” on the radio – imagine that ! That was fun ! Oh yes, the Sunday Comics from the Sunday newspaper were hidden and not to be looked at ‘til after we came home from church.

Dad (Bill) was strict about who I would ‘date’ and one time chased a fellow away from our porch (he was the fellow who would disguise his voice as a girl speaking to talk to me on the phone) that didn’t go too well with Dad and now I can say ‘I’m glad he did forbid me to date that fellow’ – I got the best ‘date’ of all and married him (Raymond Johnson).

On one of our last visits with dad (Bill) and mom (Esther) in St. Petersburg, Fla. We spent an entire evening singing old-time gospel hymns – dad loved to sing and loved all those old hymns so much ! He and mom and Ray and I enjoyed the evening so much – we have such happy memories to cherish now.

He was so pleased I could attend Moody Bible Institute and married a minister – that pleased me too, of course, that he approved. I remember writing him (Bill) and telling him how much I appreciated all he did for me while I was growing up and how I loved him – so when the Lord called him home I could not feel too sad – he would get his reward and I’d have peace in my own heart. Oh, the blessings of a Christian home and family !

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