Robert Bernard Holzgang Sr

Robert Bernard Holzgang Sr., 90, of Red Bluff, California died Monday, January 22, 2007 in Red Bluff, California.

A funeral mass will be at 12:00 PM on Saturday, February 3, 2007 at St. Anne Catholic Church. Private interment will be at Hillcrest Memorial Park. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Contributions may be made to Rogue Community College for the Marjorie K. Holzgang Scholarship Fund, RCC Foundation, 3345 Redwood Hwy., Grants Pass, OR 97527

His parents emigrated from Kussnacht, Switzerland around 1900, and purchased a farm in Ruch, Oregon. Bob was the 14th of 16 children born to Robert G.. Holzgang and Franziska Siedler on August 17, 1916 in Ruch. His father died in a farming accident when he was 9 years old. He graduated from Medford High School and went to the General Motors Institute in Detroit, Michigan for education and training. When he returned, he went to work at McKelwain Chevrolet in North Bend, Oregon, where he met Marjorie Knight. Bob joined the Navy the day after Pearl Harbor. He was a Chief Petty Officer in the Aviation section of the Navy during the war and was stationed at Moffett Field and Pearl Harbor. Bob and Marjorie were married February 7, 1943 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Eugene, Oregon. Burlingame, California was their home until the war ended. They moved back to North Bend for a brief time and then to Grants Pass in 1947 to start a new business with Bob’s brother-in-law in the lumber industry. His brother-in-law was tragically killed in an automobile accident and Bob closed the business. He then joined Carl Hannum in the car business which became H & H Motors. Bob, “Rapid Robert” owned and operated Holzgang Motors (formerly H & H Motors) in Grants Pass for 35 years. He was the Lincoln/Mercury/Mazda and Jeep new car dealer.

He was a member of the New Car Dealers Association, Knights of Columbus, B.P.O.E., US World War II Veterans, and St. Anne Catholic Church since 1947.

Survivors include his two children, Mary (and husband, Bill), Joanne (and husband, Jimmy); two brothers, Albert and Victor; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Preceding him in death was his wife, Marjorie in 1997 and his son, Robert Jr. in January, 2005.