Henrietta E. Holthaus, 95, of Axtell, Kansas, died Sunday, March 17, 2013 at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca.

Henrietta was born on January 19, 1918, on a farm west of St. Benedict, Kansas, to Henry G. and Ida Gellhaus Hulsing. She attended St. Benedict Grade School and graduated from the 8th grade in 1932. After school she helped on the family farm and assisted area neighbors with newborns and housework. She also worked in to Seneca helping the George Buser family doing general housework, until she got married.

She married Gregory H. Holthaus on September 17, 1940, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in St. Benedict. Henrietta and Greg lived on a farm south of Baileyville and then west of Seneca for a few years, until they moved in 1958 to the farm near Axtell. In 1996 they built a new home south of Axtell. The couple celebrated 60 years of marriage before Greg’s death on January 12, 2001.

Henrietta was a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Axtell and St. Ann’s Altar Society at church. She was a member of the RN Club in Axtell. Henrietta enjoyed quilting, sewing, crafts of any kind, gardening, cooking and playing cards.

Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by a great-granddaughter Ava L. Steinlage on April 28, 2011; and five siblings, Celestine “Sally” Hulsing, Elsa McGuire, Mary C. Stallbaumer, Florence Kohake and Emil Hulsing.

She is survived by four sons, Gerald (Iris) Holthaus of Topeka, and Victor (Joyce) Holthaus, Duane (Marleen) Holthaus and Richard (Carol) Holthaus, all of Axtell; a daughter, Mary Beth (Tom) Haverkamp of Seneca; four brothers, Victor, Bernard, and Joseph Hulsing, all of Seneca, and Henry Hulsing of Topeka; three sisters, Marceline Meyer of Axtell, Mildred Kohake of Goff and Ida Rose Wichman of Kelly; 18 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 20, at St. Michael’s Church in Axtell. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Rosaries will be prayed at 2 PM Tuesday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca and at 7 PM Tuesday at St. Michael’s Church in Axtell.

Memorial contributions may be given for St. Michael’s School, and sent in care of the family.