Mike and Kathy Holmgren Marriage Profile

Having met at age 13, Mike and Kathy Holmgren are a couple in the limelight who have managed to keep their values and priorities rooted in a strong foundation of love for one another, respect for one another, and loyalty for one another.

Here's information about their marriage, children, quotes about love and marriage, and more.

Born:

Michael George Holmgren: June 15, 1948 in San Francisco, California.

Kathy Bowman: October, 1947. She grew up in San Jose, California.

Mike and Kathy first met at a junior high Bible camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains when they were both thirteen years old.

"Her first impression of the boy from San Francisco: tall, nice, kind, a good listener. She and the athlete became friends, kept in touch with an occasional letter or call and counted on summers at the beach."
Source: Packer Plus Online. 12/97.

Marriage Proposal:

Mike proposed to Kathy at the age of 15 in a card. They resumed dating in Kathy's junior year of college. They married one another after attending college.

Mike nd Kathy were married on June 5, 1971. He has said that Kathy is "his best friend as well as a source of motivation and inspiration..."
Source: Clare Farnsworth P-I reporter. Seattle Post - Intelligencer. Seattle, Wash.: Jul 27, 2001. pg. E.1

Mike and Kathy have four daughters and several grandchildren.

• Calla Holmgren:
• Jenny Holmgren Cobbley:
• Emily Holmgren Amadon:
• Gretchen Holmgren:

Mike and Kathy live on Mercer Island, Washington and have a summer home near San Francisco, California.

Previously, they lived in a two-story colonial home in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin near Green Bay. They later moved to a larger home on the Fox River in De Pere, Wisconsin.

Mike received his Bachelor of Science Degree from USC in 1970.

Kathy's first degree was in nursing from North Park University in Chicago in 1969. She received her master's in oncology nursing at BYU in 1982.

Occupations:

Mike is a professional football coach with the Seattle Seahawks since January 8, 1999.

He previously coached the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl win in 1997. He is a former high school history teacher and coach.

Kathy, a former nurse and social worker, is on the boards of Northwest Medical Team and the Salvation Army.

Religion:

Both Mike and Kathy have attended the Covenant Church since they were kids. They attend Mercer Island Covenant Church in Mercer Island, Washington.

Interests:

Kathy enjoys reading and listening to spiritual tapes.

Kathy first went to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970 when it was known as Zaire. She worked in pediatrics at a mission hospital near the Congo River. Visiting many villages, she was there for 10 months.

While Mike is busy coaching the Seahawks at Super Bowl XL in Detroit, Kathy will be with their daughter, Calla, on an aid mission with Northwest Medical Teams. They will be training a hospital staff in Karawa. The cost of the trip is a birthday present for Kathy from Mike.

Previous birthday presents from Mike include Maxine, an English bulldog puppy, and a lawn mower. The trip to Africa is a winner.

About Kathy's trip to the Congo, Mike has said:

• "It gives me great joy that she will go."
  Source: Seattle PI

• "I'm very proud of her. She works very hard at a lot of things that are a lot more important than coaching a football game. Her heart is here even though she is going to be in Africa with my daughter."
  Source: Washington Post

About her trip to the Congo, Kathy has said:

• "Mike said, 'Go, our work is important.' And Mike needs to concentrate on the game, so he won't miss us all that much."
  Source: Chicago Tribune

• "Mike was very proud of Calla, but slightly worried, so he wanted me to go along with her. So . . . for my birthday last fall, he presented me with the opportunity to go."
  Source: Northpark

Trivia:

Kathy and Mike's morning routine includes working out in the morning, watching the "Today" show, "reading devotions, exercise and talking over a cup of coffee before Mike heads to work."
Source: Jayda Evans. Seattle Times. Seattle, Wash.: Jan 6, 2005. pg. D.1

Kathy does not attend the games. After hearing the national anthem she leaves the stadium and walks around or goes to a movie theater. When the games are in Seattle, she sometimes takes ferry rides during the games.

Kathy and Mike Holmgren are both of Swedish descent and believe in the importance of having family meals together at the dinner table. Mike has also insisted on having Friday nights free to spend with his wife.
Source: Notable Sports Figures. 4 vols. Gale, 2004.

When voting, Mike and Kathy "usually cancel each other out." Mike has said, "She's very, very consistent, and I love her for that. She's got good reasons to vote the way she does."
Source: Seattle PI

Future Hopes:

Kathy wants to make a difference in the world with her social work. She would also like to see Mike running a bookstore.

Quotes about Mike and Kathy and Marriage:

Jerry Izenberg, about Mike and Kathy: "For this couple who still share Friday night "date nights" and who never miss sitting down to breakfast together when he isn't on the road, they will not need to see each other to know where their hearts are."
Source: Star Ledger

Read More Quotes about Mike and Kathy and Marriage