Irmi Holland

Irmtraud “Irmi” Holland, age 87, of Cumming, Georgia, passed away peacefully on July 30, 2026.

Irmi was born on September 15, 1938, in Kiel, Germany, to Hermann and Dorothea Papenburg. She spent her childhood in Germany during World War II, enduring hardships no child should have to face. Her family lost their home and experienced tremendous poverty, yet Irmi always remembered her childhood as one filled with love.

Her mother and her brothers, Ainst and Fritz, made sure she was cared for, protected, and never without food. Her brothers always made certain that their little sister ate before they did. Those quiet acts of love and sacrifice stayed with Irmi throughout her life and helped shape the woman she became. No matter the circumstances, family took care of one another, and Irmi carried that belief with her through every chapter of her life.

At just 18 years old, Irmi boarded a ship bound for America in search of a better future. It took extraordinary courage to leave her family, her home, her language, and everything she had ever known. She arrived in New York City knowing no one and was welcomed by the family who sponsored her journey. What began as an act of kindness grew into a lifelong friendship.

In New York, Irmi met her first husband, Bill, a proud German man. They soon began building a family together and welcomed their daughters, Karen and Lisa. During those years, Irmi formed many lifelong friendships through afternoon coffee klatches, Scrabble games, shared meals, and countless conversations around the table.

Family was always at the center of Irmi’s life. While raising her daughters, she shared a home with her mother-in-law and later invited her own mother to leave Germany and join them in America. Together, multiple generations lived under one roof, sharing their lives, traditions, meals, and love. To Irmi, family meant making room, staying close, and ensuring that no one ever felt alone.

Irmi was an extraordinary cook and baker. During her early married life, she worked in several delis throughout Queens, sharing her talents through every dish she prepared. Cooking was never simply something she did. It was how she cared for people, welcomed them, celebrated them, and made them feel at home.

Years later, Irmi married Wally and moved to Cumming, Georgia. Together, they built a beautiful life surrounded by dear friends and a close-knit community. They enjoyed a full and lively social life, and Irmi continued doing what came most naturally to her: bringing people together.

She later became the head cook at River Trail Middle School, where she transformed the idea of school lunch by preparing her own recipes with the same care she gave to meals at home. Her food became so beloved that teachers would bring trays to the kitchen at the end of the day, hoping to take leftovers home. Irmi spread joy through her cooking, and everyone who tasted her food could feel the love she placed into it.

Irmi adored her grandchildren and treasured the unique relationship she shared with each of them. She loved being a grandmother and was deeply proud to become a great-grandmother. As the matriarch of her family, she taught everyone the importance of staying connected, gathering often, laughing loudly, and always making room for one more person at the table.

Whenever the family gathered, one of Irmi’s first questions was, “What should I make?” No one ever had to worry about leaving hungry. She made certain there was enough food for everyone, often preparing what felt like a four-course meal. Food was her love language, and she spoke it beautifully.

What made Irmi so special was the way she made people feel. She carried a light that others could feel simply by being near her. She lived with joy, kindness, compassion, humor, and acceptance. She had a gift for making people feel welcomed, seen, and loved.

Put a camera in front of Irmi, and she was ready to perform. Family dinners were loud, lively, and filled with laughter, banter, and teasing, and no one was ever completely safe from a well-timed joke. Irmi loved being right in the middle of it all. She could take the teasing, but she had no trouble firing back with a quick remark of her own.

She was never shy about being the center of attention and welcomed every opportunity to sing, dance, and entertain. She especially loved when someone joined her on the dance floor. Anyone lucky enough to hear her knew just how beautifully she could yodel.

Irmi did not simply survive the hardships she faced. She created a life filled with beauty, friendship, laughter, generosity, and love. From a little girl in wartime Germany to the beloved matriarch of a family she cherished so deeply, her life was a testament to courage, resilience, and joy.

Irmi is survived by her two daughters, Karen (Enrique) Klein, and Lisa (John) Augustine; her five grandchildren, Jacqueline (Kasey) Klein, Danielle Warshel, Keith Warshel, Jonathan Klein (Marta Stepanyuk), and Sidney Warshel; and two great-grandchildren, Everett and Alexis Klein.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Hermann and Dorothea Papenburg, and her brothers, Ainst and Fritz.

Her strength, warmth, and love will continue to live on through the generations of family she cherished so deeply.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Irmi’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association:

https://www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate?form=FUNXAHXKQNE