David Holborn

If anyone should have written his own obituary before he died, it was David Holborn. An English professor of thirty-five years, Dave had a way with words that could make you laugh, cry and feel his love all at the same time.

Dave was born on March 9, 1943, to David and Ruth Holborn in Yonkers, New York. A natural athlete, his childhood was filled with stick ball in the street, little league baseball and basketball in Cortland Park. He graduated from Mount St. Michael Academy in the Bronx in 1960, where he made lifelong friends, found valuable mentors and received many academic-athlete accolades. Among his honors was the Lou Gehrig Award, presented by Frank Gifford at a New York sports banquet in 1959, recognizing Dave for exemplifying character and integrity on and off the field.

The pride of his family, Dave attended Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts, on football and baseball scholarships. His coach described him as “a real man, solid, steady, dependable, and willing,” a sentiment echoed by teammates and one that defined Dave throughout his life. At Holy Cross, he developed a deep love for literature and poetry, maintaining a lifelong connection with his favorite English professor.

With his English degree in hand, Dave drove his Volkswagen Beetle to the unlikely Southern Illinois University where he began his years as a teaching assistant and completed his master’s degree. It was there that he met Lynn Frederich, an undergraduate English major, on a blind date arranged by a friend thinking they’d be the perfect match. Lynn would become his wife and partner for fifty-nine years.

Dave forged a unique and cherished friendship with Lynn’s parents and sister Debbie, spending weekends sailing, drinking margaritas and playing Trivial Pursuit on Crystal Lake. Their relationship was even strong enough to sustain a fierce rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. Dave also enjoyed yearly vacations to New York to visit his family, including his beloved sister, Gail and his younger brother, Don. There they would laugh and tell stories of their childhood on Gail’s porch as if no time had passed.

Dave received his PhD from UW-Madison in 1970 after getting a Ford Foundation grant to write his dissertation. Then Dave from New York, and Lynn from Chicago, moved to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, a town with just one stoplight, where Dave began his career as an English professor at UWSP. Dave admired his university colleagues with degrees from all over the country and loved teaching his students with their strong central Wisconsin work ethic. Dave and Lynn became part of the community, enjoying tennis, biking, running, symphony concerts, First Nighters and countless gatherings with dear friends. Dave’s perfect day included reading the newspaper, working out at the YMCA, having a gin martini and dinner with his family and winding down by reading his favorite poet Billy Collins while listening to opera.

Of all his achievements and awards, Dave’s greatest pride was his family. His daughters, Jennifer and Ann, were his joy, and he taught them to be kind, compassionate, funny, confident, and humble, making them feel the world was theirs for the taking. He beamed like the sun when their names were mentioned from the day they were born until the day he died. This love was matched only by his adoration for his grandchildren Ben, Emily, Grace, Jane and Nate, who brought Pop endless amounts of joy. Together with his cherished sons-in-law, Steve and Dave, the family celebrated anything and everything—birthdays, over-the-top Christmases, vacations to Door County and a ridiculous number of questionable theme parties planned by Gran.

In the final years of his life, Dave battled the demons of dementia. A man who taught language for a living was at a loss for words, and a man of immense physical strength grew weak. Yet, as his devoted family visited him in memory care, he made them feel that every visit was the gift of a lifetime.

In the end, both he and Lynn agreed, the love in their home was their proudest accomplishment.

Dave’s family will celebrate his life together in Door County. To those who want to do so, please contribute in his name to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Foundation https://give.uwsp.edu/g/general-give-now-page, Stevens Point YMCA https://spymca.org/give or Meals on Wheels mealsonwheelssp.com where Dave was a dedicated volunteer.