Paul and Lucile Holden

Paul and Lucile Holden

Born in Superior in 1895, Paul Holden was the youngest of seven children. In 1927 he started the Holden Finance Company, an undertaking which lead to his future prominence in the Superior business community. Lucile Worthman was born in Superior in 1900. Paul and Lucile were married in 1936, and worked enthusiastically together in programs for community and University betterment. A scholarship in their name was established in 1965 as the first endowed scholarship for the UW-Superior Foundation. Lucile passed away in 1979 and Paul passed away in 1984.

Holden devoted himself full time to being the Foundation President after his retirement, watching it grow from the original $1,000 donation he made. UW-Superior also named the Paul E. Holden Fine and Applied Arts Building and the Paul Holden Society, which recognizes individuals and organizations who have cumulatively given $100,000 or more to the UW-Superior Foundation, after him. Paul Holden had been president of the Superior Kiwanis Club, the Merchants’ Credit Association, the Village of Solon Springs, and the UW-Superior Foundation. He was Director of the Superior and the Wisconsin Association of Insurance Agents, the Wisconsin Association of Finance Companies, the American Finance Conference, and the Superior Chamber. Holden was also a member of the Elks, the Catholic Foresters, the Kitchi Gammi Club, the Duluth Syndicate, and investment association. Lucile was a life member of the Friends of the Library Club and the Fine Arts group of that club. She was also a member of the Schubert Club, the Shakespeare-Browning Club, the Duluth Women’s Club, and the Women’s Association of the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra.