Pat was born at home on Oct. 4, 1962, in Litchfield, the son of Walter and Marjorie Holley. Penny was born on May 27, 1962, in Ord, the daughter of Rodney and Delores Sperling.
Pat grew up in Ashton, a small town where the neighborhood children gathered for front yard games of football and late-night hide-and-seek. He attended elementary school in Ashton and graduated from Loup City High School with the Class of 1981.
Penny was raised on a dairy farm near Scotia and graduated from North Loup-Scotia High School in 1980. She showed 4-H cattle and enjoyed life on the farm – except for milking the cows.
They met through a mutual friend in 1984, and immediately became inseparable. Pat and Penny made their love official in May 1986, when they were married at Jenners Park in Loup City in a beautiful outdoor ceremony. It set the tone for the next 39 years of devoted love and commitment.
On Nov. 27, 1990, the couple was elated to welcome the birth of a son, Preston. They joyously added another child, Presha, on March 1, 1996. The young family was at home in Loup City, where Pat worked for the Sherman County Department of Roads, and Penny did in-home daycare.
Pat’s job eventually led to a career with the Nebraska Department of Roads, where he worked as a state bridge inspector for more than 35 years, retiring in October 2024. Penny worked for many years as a health technician for Lincoln Public Schools and was serving at Standing Bear School at the time of her passing.
After moving to Lincoln, Pat and Penny channeled their love for children into foster care, taking in a number of children over the years. After adopting one of the children in their care, Paxton, the Holley family grew in 2009, when they officially added Parker, Paige, Palina, and Pamela to the family tree.
As their family continued to grow, in 2013, another daughter was added when Preston married Katrina, and in 2023, when Parker married Natalie. Pat and Penny considered them and Palina’s boyfriend, Corey Nguyen, much more than in-laws. They were their kids.
Pat and Penny devoted their lives to their children, and later to their granddaughters Katherine, Sophia, and Isabella. They were so excited to recently welcome their first grandson, Halston.
Along with their children and grandchildren, Penny is survived by her mom, Delores Sperling of Hastings; sisters, Roxanne (Gary) Zulkoski of Doniphan, and Echo (Kent) Niederklein of Fairbury; brothers, Ransom (Vickie) Sperling of St. Paul, Rob Sperling of Reno, NV, and Reed Sperling of Hastings; half-brother, Steve (Raylean) Rasmussen, of Idaho Falls, ID; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father, Rodney Sperling.
Pat is survived by siblings Ellen (Jody) Mortensen of Gothenburg, Thomas (Katie) Holley of Gothenburg, Tim (Theresa) Holley of Gothenburg, David (Sharon) Fries of Lincoln, Dianne (Jeff) Berger of Surprise, AZ, and Richard (Jeri) Fries of Cairo; as well as many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Eugene Lantz and Howard Hadenfeldt; and sister, Rae Jean Syverson.
Pat’s storytelling and Penny’s infectious laugh will be missed by all who ever knew them. Pat and Penny loved Jesus, and while our hearts are heavy with grief, we rejoice in knowing the couple who loved doing life together in every way entered the gates of heaven the same way…together.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20, at Roper and Sons South Chapel (3950 Hohensee Dr., Lincoln, NE 68516). A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at Roper and Sons South Chapel. A reception will take place following the funeral service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are designated to an education fund for their grandchildren.