Anna May (Nelson) Engholm was born on September 21, 1929, in Monmouth, Illinois, to Swedish immigrants Herman and Amy Nelson. She was the youngest of three children with two older sisters, Eva and Martha. She was raised on a farm near Monmouth, Illinois, and graduated from high school in 1947. She was married to Harry Engholm of Woodhull, Illinois on February 4, 1951. After they were married they moved to Washington, D.C. while Harry served in the army from 1951 – 1953. They then returned to Illinois and settled in Galesburg, eventually purchasing a home in 1958, a home they lived in for 66 years until Harry’s death in April 2024.
Before she was married, Ann worked for the Illinois Power Company in Galesburg. In her early years of marriage she was a full-time homemaker, raising her two children until they were both in school. She then returned to work, first at Silas Willard School, then Churchill Junior High School, and eventually Galesburg Senior High School until retiring in 1990. Most of those years were spent working in the library/media center of each school.
Ann was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School, served on the Library Committee, and in her retirement, organized a monthly potluck gathering. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. She loved connecting with people through cards and phone calls, and enjoyed gathering with friends and relatives for birthdays, for holidays, or for no reason at all.
Ann was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters, and her husband. She is survived by her daughter Terri (Bob) Stewart, son Jeff (Susan) Engholm, and five grandchildren: Craig (Liz) Stewart, Beth Stewart, Kyle (Nicki) Stewart, Isaac (Christina) Engholm, and Hannah (Chris) Engholm Stiedemann. Also surviving are nine great-grandchildren: Ellie, Haddie, Jace, Tate, Will, Alice, Elijah, Levi, and Owen.
Visitation will be 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, February 10, 2025, at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral and Cremation Services of Galesburg. Funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. with Rev. Dr. Carrie Carnes officiating. Burial will be in East Linwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church or St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Online condolences and memories may be shared on the funeral home’s website at www.h-p-w.com.
