David L. Houle

The Mass of Christian Burial for David Houle of Wadena will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 4, at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Wadena, with Father Timothy Wenzel as celebrant. Friends may call on Monday at the Johnson-Schuller Chapel in Wadena from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., with a Rosary at 5:00 and Parish Prayers at 5:30 p.m. and at the church on Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of Mass. David died on Wednesday, November 28, 2012, at the age of 80, at Fair Oaks Lodge in Wadena . David Lloyd Houle was born March 18, 1932, one of eight children, to Lloyd Irving and Katherine (Winzenburg) Houle in a farmhouse east of the Mississippi River in Morrison County, MN. He graduated from Brainerd High School with the class of 1949. He served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Korean War in the 434th Engineer Construction unit from November 1952 until his honorable discharge in October 1954. David and Alice Marie Bellefeuille were married on June 17, 1957 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Little Falls. He started working for Pikes Plumbing in high school, eventually becoming a Master Plumber. In 1969, David started the Plumbing Program at Minnesota State Schools and Colleges-Wadena Campus, and taught for 25 years until his retirement in 1994. He was a member of the Plumbers Union for 50 years. In his hours away from work he enjoyed woodcarving, reading, Sudoku, fishing, and construction projects around their lake home. David was one of the founders of the Wadena Hockey Program and was involved with getting an indoor ice arena for the youth. He was a member of the VFW, the local Woodcarvers Group and St. Ann’s Catholic Church, serving as a past member of their school board and parish council. Other interests included traveling to Alaska, Germany and Africa. Preceding David in death were his parents Lloyd and Katherine and several aunts and uncles. Surviving David are his wife Alice; children Douglas (Tammy) of Redwood Falls, Denise of Bemidji, Linda (Dennis) Whipple of Vermillion, SD, Wayne (Wendy) of Edina, Kevin (Brandi) of Boise, ID, Gary (Elena) of Cheshire, CT, and Susan (Paul) Norman of Broadlands, VA; grandchildren Hannah, Jordan, Gabrielle, Shinayne, Travis, Caitlin, Allison, Emily, Henry, Svetlana, Natalie, Claire and Gavin; siblings Richard (Doreen) of Coon Rapids, Carroll of Charlottesville, VA, Robert (Becky) of Brainerd, Julie Williams of Tustin, MI, James (Barbara) of Medford, WI, Donald of Coon Rapids and Thomas (Mary) of Medford, WI. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Woodcarvers Group. Serving as pallbearers will be Doug, Wayne, Kevin, Gary, Travis and Jordan Houle. Military honors will be provided by The Elmer Goche Post 3922, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Wadena, MN. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Wadena.

David L. Houle

March 18, 1932 - November 28, 2012