Conwell Lenos Holben
A Family Man
Conwell Lenos, known by his friends as Connie, was a loving father, grandfather, and friend to many. He loved the pursuit of knowledge and was a lifelong learner, working as a clerk for Michigan Millers Insurance Company. He was also a big fan of Michigan State University (at the time Michigan Agricultural College and later Michigan State College).
He married Iowa born Madeline Anna Erdman (pictured with him on the left), on June 3rd, 1944. She was a remarkable woman who matched his vibrant energy and love for family. They also shared a duty to the betterment of humanity through charity work, a trait which they passed down to their children and grandchildren.
Together, they raised 7 children, one of which was my mother, Martha Froman. He passed away on September 25, 2005, at the age of 86 of [...]. Although he died when I was only 7, his impact is still felt to this day.
He was a very virtuous man, rarely drinking (except for the occasional glass of wine), never smoking, and refraining from cursing. He was also a devout Christian and a member of the Delta Mills United Methodist Church Parish for [...] years. These were the ideals he instilled in all of his children.
Connie was also very social. Despite his thinning hair, he would visit the barbershop in Delta Mills frequently, so that he could converse with his friend who was the barber there.
He contributed massively to the genealogy of both the Holben and Erdman families through his multitude of correspondences with family members and gathering of accounts. He worked tirelessly on compiling as much information as he could, so that everyone in the family would be able to share in this knowledge. His many pages of works have been copied and distributed to many of the family members and have recently started to become digitized.
Although no longer with us, his legacy lives on through his seven children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His works have been instrumental in the development of my project and his influence has been crucial in my development as a person. He will always be remembered as an amazing father and grandfather.