Elizabeth Holm's Obituary
Elizabeth Holm, 66, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 19th, 2025, at the Kline Hospice House in Mount Airy, Maryland. Born on December 20, 1958, in Tacoma Park, Maryland. Liz was the beloved daughter of the late Victor Bunky Holm and Page Cressman Helenek and the stepdaughter of the late John Helenek. Liz grew up in Silver Spring and Montgomery Village, MD, and graduated from Gaithersburg High School, where she was a member of the swim team. She attended the University of Maryland at College Park, obtained a BA in English, and received a post baccalaureate degree in painting from the Maryland Institute, College of Art, in Baltimore. Liz is survived by her cousins Karen Sawyer of Melrose, MA, Debbie Sawyer Smigocki, her husband Damian of Germantown, her daughter Kristen Sills of Somerville, MA, and by Petie Sawyer Heather, her husband Peter, and their sons William Sawyer Heather and Nathaniel Sawyer Heather of London and Oxford, England, and by many cousins in Pennsylvania and Norway. She is also survived by her loving friends Eric Seebach and Kate Calvert of Frederick, MD, Cheryl Hystad of Baltimore, MD, Rick Rankin of Los Angeles, CA, and Amber Armstrong of Germantown, MD as well as by many other people who cared for her and held her dear.
After pursuing a career in publishing at the National Geographic in Washington, DC, Liz left to paint full time and teach drawing, painting and design at Frederick Community College, Hood College, Montgomery College, and The Delaplaine Visual Arts and Education Center. Trained as a classical realist, her work then moved towards more abstract explorations. Animals and the bond between man and nature, and memory and shifting perceptions of form into spirit are recurring themes in her work. Her paintings and drawings are held in private collections across the U.S. and the UK.
Liz was a force of nature. Beginning with Snowflake, Buttons, and Simba, she adored animals. An avid and accomplished sailor, she single-handedly sailed home from the Caribbean, fighting severe weather and spoiled drinking water. After caring for Page during her battle with Alzheimer’s, Liz settled on her farm—her True North. There, she loved and nurtured every creature with devotion: her horses, her dogs, her cats, her parrot and conures, every one of her chickens and even the occasional barn cat or spider that wandered by. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Donations in Liz’s memory can be made to the Delaplaine Arts Center in Frederick, MD, the Animal Welfare League of Frederick County, or the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
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