Jim & Barb Holstrom's love a whirlwind

CRESCO - Sometimes destiny has a way of finding two individuals, having them fall in love and become a couple! 

That is the interesting story behind how Jim and Barb “Bilidt” Holstrom found each other and have now been married for 40 years!

It was a match made in heaven . . . and one that was a whirlwind romance when it came to finding each other, getting engaged only a few months later and then getting married that same year! 

It was a love of music and theater  that sort of “merged” the couple together.  

“I had just moved back to the area for summer and then landed a job in Protivin at the Catholic School,” stated Barb, who was working only part time as a teacher for music, while doing piano lessons for extra money. “Jim had been taking Piano Lessons from me as well.”

Jim stated that he had taken piano lessons as a child, but wanted to continue in trying to complete his mission of actually learning to play. 

“I worked hard at it and really wanted to play the piano,” pointed out Jim. “I wasn’t taking the lessons because I wanted to date Barb, I just wanted to learn. I still can’t play the piano.”

 

First Date

That may have been how they first met, but it was theater where they started to find each other.  They had both been in a play at the Cresco Theatre and eventually Jim asked Barb on a date, taking her to see the Turkey River All Stars for a concert held at the Theatre.  All seemed to “click” that night. 

 

Engagement

That first date took place on May 10th of 1984 and in July, Jim had proposed to her, with Barb giving a resounding “yes!” 

“It was really not anything too special,” said Jim with a smile, but very happy she had said yes.  “I had proposed in her apartment, getting down on one knee.  I do feel, even today, that it was destiny.  I believe it was fate that we met each other. It was just meant to be and not something that just happened. We were brought together.”

The twosome were both taking part in the production of “Guys and Dolls” at the Cresco Theatre where Barb was selected as one of the lead roles in playing Sarah Brown.  

“It was during the rehearsal, before opening, that we decided to announce our engagement,” stated Jim. “ It was a good moment.”

 

Now Comes The Wedding

The whirlwind continued as a date for the wedding needed to be set and both wanted to get married right away, setting a fall date.

“It just didn’t make sense for her to continue paying for an apartment when we could be married and living together,” said Jim, who also knew waiting a year would just be too long.  

Barb had stated that the Christmas season was also coming and with Jim being in retail, there would be no time to get married in November or December.  

“It was a good thing we were married in October, because had Barb known the crazy hours I worked during the following two months, she probably would have never married me,” added Jim. “Back then there were nights I wouldn’t get home until 1 or 2 a.m. You worked seven days a week and the retail hours were already long, let alone the many detailed items you had to do afterwards.”

The wedding came fast, but all seemed to work out.  Barb had a dress made for her from a lady who had a dress shop (in her home) near Chatfield, MN.  They paid approximately $300 to $350 for the beautiful ivory dress, which featured a long cathedral length train, trimmed with a beautiful silk venise lace, satin ribbon and seed pearls with iridescent sequins.  The veil was attached to a halo of dried snow lace.  

The Bridesmaids wore matching gowns of sapphire blue sataleen featuring sweetheart necklines and three-quarter length puffed sleeves. Each also wore an ivory colored halo with roses in ivory and blue and carried an arm bouquet of ivory spider mums, lilies and babies breath.  The bride, for flowers, carried a crescent shaped bouquet of ivory roses, stephanotis and variegated ivy.

Getting a flower girl and ring bearer were also in the works, as the couple selected Meg Jorgensen of Maquoketa, a niece of the bride, to be the flower girl wearing a matching dress to the Bridesmaids.  Daniel Sabatka of Richfield, MN, the nephew of the bridegroom was ring bearer.  

With both being Methodist, they were married in the Methodist Church in Cresco and planned for the meal reception to take place in the basement of the church. The dance was out at the fairgrounds in the Wildlife Building, as the Expo Center was already occupied with the wedding reception of Maureen and Kendal Curtis.

“The day of our wedding it rained and it was really muddy out at the Wildlife Club building,” stated the couple. “We had the Northeast Band Directors playing, who had Larry Joiner, the junior high Band Director, playing trumpet. The Band was a group of high school band directors, who formed a band to play for some extra cash.”

Jim pointed out that the band had brought a nice platform and had their music stands in front of each member.  They would play only “Big Band Style” music, which worked out very well, added the couple. One of the best men, John Loveless, actually played the Sousaphone for one of the songs.  

As for the meal served at the church, the couple had everything “white” by serving ham and shaved pork sandwiches, potato salad and lemonade with white cake.

“People in the crowd were clinging their glasses while we were eating, so we stood up to kiss and BBQ sauce from Jim’s pork sandwich had spilled on my dress,” said Barb, who just smiled as she said her Mother then took charge. “Mom had wisted me to the bathroom, worked it all out of my dress and all was fine.”

About the only other “happening” that took place during the day was Jim spraining his ankle while doing the “Bunny Hop.” Both were also kidnapped between the meal reception and dance by the bridesmaids (taking Jim) and groomsmen (taking Barb).  

“They did steal us for a while,” said Jim. “I got back quicker than Barb.  It was tradition back then.”

Another occurence that took place was heading to their car following the meal reception and finding it completely full of clean, unprinted newspaper.

“We went to leave and the wedding party had filled our vehicle full of newsprint . . . it was stuffed full!” said Barb, who noted that both she and Jim were a little frustrated when they saw what happened. “Not only did we need the car for us, but we were also driving Jim’s parents.”

They had waited until the next day to get the newsprint out of the car, as it was that full! 

Also, with two receptions taking place at the fairgrounds, it may have sound like a problem, but really worked out for everyone involved. 

“Kendall and Maureen Curtis were married the same day, but it all went well for both of us as we went over to their reception for a spell, while they came over to ours as well,” said the Holstroms.  “Others also went to both receptions, traveling from the Expo Center to the Cresco Wildlife Club building. It was fun for everyone.”

 

Honeymoon

Following the wedding, the next day the Holstrom’s were off to Branson, Missouri to stay at the Best Western and enjoy a few shows at the newly formed touristic community.  They had selected that destination due to an aunt and uncle who lived there, but also to see where Jim’s grandparents had once owned the Spot Shop, where they sold cameras, film, camera equipment and more.  

“The water park had just been built in Branson, although we never went to it,” said Barb, who noted it was a little late in the season for swimming and getting wet. “We did go to Silver Dollar City for an Arts Fair during the tail-end of the trip.”

Jim said they did go to the Ball Nobbers Theater, which was only one of two that existed at that time.  Playing was the Japanese Violinist, who had played at the Howard County Fair just a year earlier.  

“The theater was really nothing special . .  . like going to a roller rink and not a really fancy place,” said Barb, as Branson was just getting started in becoming one of America’s top tourist destinations. “The show was good.”

While there, they didn’t go out to eat any place special, but did enjoy a really good Chinese restaurant and additional fast food places. They were just there to enjoy each others company! 

 

Married For 40 Years

Back in October of 2024, the couple did honor 40 years of marriage, holding a meal and dance behind their Holstrom Jewelers building.

“We had invited friends and customers to our celebration, where we rented a tent from the Cresco Chamber and had the fire department put it up for us,” said Jim, who said they were celebrating 40 years, but Holstrom’s was also 48 years in business. “The Band was Deja Blue and in a few more years, when Holstroms turns 50, we’ll be doing it again!”

The couple currently operate the store with their Daughter Brittany, who resides in New Hampton.  They also have an adult son, Chris, who lives in Wisconsin. The store owners also have six grandchildren to enjoy. 

As to how to keep a marriage successful and lasting, Jim stated that he always tells people just one thing . . . “We get to be married to each other.”

He said that they both had different careers, with Jim as a jeweler/retailer, and Barb as a music director/teacher and,  “that worked well for us.”  

“A marriage will work and flow if you both do things for each other.  I don’t like doing laundry and have done about two loads in my life, while Barb doesn’t like to shovel snow, which she has about six times in her life. We also have many of the same interests, such as theater and music.”

The minister pointed out that being of the same religion, as Methodists, also helped, as many marriages are often broken up when two religions are involved. 

“Our values and beliefs are much the same, plus we rarely fight about dumb stuff, such as picking out a china pattern or decorating a room,” said Barb. “We usually decorated with whatever anyone else in the family didn’t want in their house.”

Jim also stated that the magical statement of, “A happy wife means a happy life,” also works!  

“It really does help and is absolutely true to a point,” chuckled Jim.

As for the future, the couple just look to keep running the Holstrom store together and hopefully transition to a new owner––hopefully Brittany––in the next portion of their life.  

“We do like to get away now and then and have been taking a week or two off each year, shutting down the store,” said the couple. “We know our customers want to keep this store in place, but as we get older, time off is getting more and more important. I know our customers are understanding that well, and just want us to keep the store going, which is what we plan to do.”