Francis Hollinrake Obituary

Francis Hollinrake, age 68, of Adair, IA, passed away on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at MercyOne Medical Center in Des Moines, IA.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 26, 2025 at St. John Catholic Church in Adair with Father Antony Mathew as Celebrant. Burial will follow at the St. John's Catholic Cemetery in Adair. A luncheon will follow at the Adair Community Building.

The family will greet friends from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Church.

Memorial Contributions may be directed to the family and can be sent in care of Schmidt Family Funeral Home to P.O. Box 523 Atlantic, Iowa 50022.

The Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Adair is caring for the Hollinrake family at his time.

Hugh Francis Hollinrake was born August 23, 1956, to Hugh Francis Hollinrake and Angela (Lawlor) at Pepperrell Air Force Base in Newfoundland. They moved back to Adair in October of 1956. He graduated from Adair-Casey High School in 1974.

He started working as a man at the very young age of 7, mowing hay, bailing hay all while having to stand on the tractor to reach the pedals. He started working for Soults Farms at the age of 16 after school and on weekends, planting and harvesting crops and working with the hogs. In 2013, Soults Farms was sold, and Francis said that he had to go to town and get a real job. He worked for Van Wall and enjoyed everyday of it.

Francis was united in marriage to Debra (Barber) of Anita on December 12, 1981, from that union came three beautiful children. Mathew, Jonathan and Elizabeth. They lived in the Adair area all their married years and in 2012 they moved into the house that they built on the farm that Francis grew up on.

Even when he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2018, he never missed work unless he was at an appointment for treatment or radiation. He has always had a positive attitude. He amazed many people on how he handled his last illness. This last diagnosis of neuroendocrine adenocarcinoma was a hard one to swallow. It was very aggressive and really knocked him down physically. He had a very strong faith and courage up to the end; he was very much at peace with what was happening to him. He was not responsive when Mathew arrived from Fort Polk, but we are sure that he knew that Mathew was with us at the hospital.

He was a lifelong member of St. John Catholic Church in Adair. He was also a Knights of Columbus member.

Francis is preceded in death by his grandparents, his father, Hugh in 2002, his mother, Angela in 2024, stepfather, Eldon Faga in 2017. His father-in-law, Larry Barber in 2016, and mother-in-law, Connie Calhoun in 2018.

He is survived in death by his wife, Debra; sons, Mathew (Keri) Hollinrake and their children: Toria, Blake and KC; Jonathan (Dianna) Hollinrake and their children: Caitlyn and Conner; daughter, Elizabeth (Adam) Warntjes, and their children: Bailey and Hunter; sister, Maureen (Dale) Sheeder; brother Wayne (Pam) Hayes; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.