Saying Goodbye

Corrinne Teresa (Holzum) Tenholder, 90, of Waterloo, Illinois, passed peacefully from this life on July 3, 2026. Born on April 30, 1936, in Leopold, Missouri, to Edward and Josie Holzum, she carried a deep love for her family throughout a long and beautifully lived life.

On May 21, 1955, in Glennon, Missouri, she was united in marriage to Joseph Henry "Joe" Tenholder, the love of her life and her partner in building a family that became her greatest joy. Together they raised eight sons, filled their home with love, and planted deep roots in the Metro East community. Corrinne was the heart of that family — steady, devoted, and unwavering in her love for everyone who knew her. A faithful Catholic, she lived her faith with quiet conviction, finding purpose in service, in prayer, and in the simple daily acts of caring for her family. She faced the losses that life brought her with grace and remarkable strength, and she remained a source of love and light to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren until the very end. Beyond her own family, 

Corrinne had a special place in her heart for children. She gave generously of her time as a volunteer at Holy Family School in Cahokia, where her faith and her love for young people found a natural home together. In her lighter moments, she could always be found cheering on her beloved St. Louis Cardinals, and she cherished every chance she had to head to the casino with her brother and sisters for a little fun and a lot of laughter. She was 90 years old, and she was deeply loved.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Joseph H. Tenholder (2002); her sons, Joseph "Joey" Allen Tenholder (1977), Ricky J. Tenholder (2014), Daniel "Danny" Tenholder (2023), and Edward "Eddie" Tenholder (2025); her daughter-in-law, Teresa Tenholder (2024); her parents, Edward and Josie Holzum; and her siblings, Herbert "Hub" (Connie) Holzum, Vernon Holzum, Beulah (Gilbert) Buessink, and Grace (Bob) Volpert.

She is survived by her sons, Larry (Sharon) Tenholder, Terrance "Terry" (Pamela) Tenholder, Robert "Bobby" Tenholder, and Randy (Angie) Tenholder; her daughters-in-law, Theresa Tenholder and Kerianne Tenholder; her siblings, Carol (the late Von) Counts, Kenny (Diane) Holzum, and Edna (the late Lew) Rubin; her sister-in-law, Dorothy Holzum; 16 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and a wide community of extended family and cherished friends.

Friends may call from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m on Sunday, July 12, 2026, at Braun Family Funeral Home in Columbia, Illinois. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, July 13, 2026, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Cahokia, Illinois, with Monsignor John Myler officiating.

In honor of Corrinne's lifelong devotion to children and her family's personal experience with cancer, memorial donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital are especially meaningful.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at www.stjude.org.