Obituary of Gerry Hollman
With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Gerald Francis Hollman (“Gerry”) on November 12, 2025: our beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, colleague, and friend. He enriched the lives of so many with his kindness, generosity, great sense of humour, and dedication to service for his family and the community.
Gerry was born on November 19, 1941 on the farm in Cosine, Saskatchewan, the third child of Joseph and Eleanor Hollman. He grew up in West Central Saskatchewan as the son of hard-working parents – a farmer and a one-room school teacher. He was taught for a time by his mother before his education transferred to another country school, St. Mary’s, from which he later graduated.
After moving to North Battleford, he pursued studies in the Psychiatric Nursing program at Saskatchewan Hospital. He also met his wife Joanne when she was working there for the summer. She was also studying to become a nurse. When they both completed their training, they were married October 28, 1967, in the Reward church. They remained in North Battleford for six months to work and moved to Yorkton in 1968. Gerry started his career at the Yorkton Mental Health Centre, first as a Psych Nurse, then Ward Supervisor, and finally as Executive Director.
His dedication to health care spanned 37 years, before retiring in 1999. He was admired by his colleagues for his excellent and tireless work ethic. “Do your best!” was his mission statement and he was a strong believer in punctuality, leaving the house before 7:30 am. During several summers in Saskatoon in the 1970’s he completed his Certificate in Health Care Administration from the University of Saskatchewan and in the 1990’s continued his professional development with distance learning through Athabasca University.
In the spring of 1989, he participated in the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: joining the Citizens’ Ambassador Program of the group People to People International on a trip to China. For two weeks as a representative of Canadian health care, he visited mental health institutions and presented papers on the management of aggressive behaviour. He brought home silk robes and souvenir t-shirts, even a suit for himself made in one day from a tailor in Hong Kong. As an administrator, he spent a lot of time travelling to and working in other health care facilities in Saskatchewan, including North Battleford, and the northern community of Sandy Bay. In 1993 he worked for Northern Health Services at outpatient clinics and in the ER during the SGEU strike.
Together Gerry and Joanne were blessed with two wonderful children: Cherie and Brent. He was involved with all their school activities as well as outside of school - coaching hockey and baseball, being a chauffeur, and always a supportive spectator at numerous curling games and music festivals.
At their home on Mossfield Place, Dad supported his neighbours and friends by helping with outside yard work in the summertime and shovelling snow in the wintertime. He shared his time with others in the community: the Youth Group at St. Gerard’s Church, Big Brothers, as well as many other organizations and committees related to his work in health care.
Gerry was a lifelong sports fan, enjoying local Yorkton Terriers hockey games at the Agriplex, watching NHL games on TV, or following the Toronto Blue Jays. Gerry and Joanne became dedicated curling fans who travelled to all the Briers in the Prairie provinces.
For over 20 years, Gerry was a member of the Yorkton Slo-Pitch Association, as a 3rd Baseman, then as a Pitcher, sometimes for three different teams in one season.
He participated in four National Championships: Grand-Mère, Quebec, Calgary, Lethbridge, and Yorkton. In an interview for a Yorkton newspaper, he expressed his reasons for playing: “I’m in it to win!”
In his retirement, he joined the Yorkton Antique Auto Club, proudly participating in their Cruise Nights to A&W and car shows in the summer. His favourite vehicles to present were his 1950’s International trucks, or his 1978 International Scout Traveler.
After their children left home to further their education, Gerry and Joanne continued their travel adventures as a couple. They flew to the Maritimes and Newfoundland & Labrador four times in total. Bus tours took them to Branson, Missouri; the Tulip Festival in Holland, Michigan; Victoria and Vancouver Island; Ottawa, Quebec City, and New England.
Gerry’s four grandchildren – Ben, Avery, Jackson, and Finn – were his pride and joy, and he spent as much time as he was able to travelling to visit them in Calgary, and then Airdrie, in Prelate, and then Moose Jaw. He celebrated birthdays with them and other special occasions in Yorkton. For 14 years the Hollman Family came together in the Cypress Hills to walk, hike, play mini golf, and eat a lot of ice cream!
In 2016, as Gerry’s health began to decline, he became a resident of the Yorkton & District Nursing Home, first on the Skinner Memory Care Unit and later on the Country Meadow Unit. He was lovingly cared for with absolute dedication and unconditional love by Joanne, who spent countless hours by his side every day – listening to music, watching curling and baseball, dancing, and visiting with their children and grandchildren, friends and relatives.
Gerry was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Eleanor Hollman, his brothers Stanley and Kenneth, his sister Loretta Blatz, his in-laws John and Clara Boerrichter, and his brothers-in-law Frank Wandler and Dennis Boerrichter.
To celebrate his wonderful life Gerry leaves behind his loving wife of 58 years, Joanne; his children: Cherie (Stu) Esson and Brent (Chantelle) Hollman; his grandchildren: Benjamin, Avery, Jackson, and Finn; his sister Marianne (Allen) Hall; his brother-in-law Alex (Dianne) Blatz; his sister-in-law Cecilia Hollman; as well as numerous sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
