Florence Noethlich Houghton

Florence (Noethlich) Houghton, age 92 of Willow Lake died on Monday evening, July 2, 2007 in a DeSmet Hospital. She was the widow of LeRoy "Happy" Noethlich and Charlie Houghton. Funeral services will be held on Friday, July 6, 2007 at 10AM in the United Presbyterian Church at Willow Lake with Pastor Jim Uthe officiating. Burial will follow in the Collins Cemetery at Willow Lake. Music will be presented by Jody Symens as organist, Carole Kettwig as pianist with Raleigh and Megan Kettwig *& Linda Fleeger singing. Honorary casketbearers are all step-grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great granddaughter, step great and step great-great grandchildren. Active casketbeaers will be Renae Collins, Paul Larson, Melanie Thome, Daniel, Michael, Dwight and Mark Noethlich. Visitation will be held on Thurday from 6-8PM at the Church in Willow Lake. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services on Friday morning also in the Church. She was born, Florence Audrey Mundhenke, east of Willow Lake in Washington Township on January 27, 1915, the daughter of Daniel and Dora (Feenstra) Mundhenke. She attended county school through the eighth grade. On October 5, 1933 she was united in marriage to LeRoy 'Happy' Noethlich and they lived in Willow Lake. He died January 21 of 1963. On July 3 of 1964 she was united in marriage to Charles 'Charlie: Houghton. They made their home in Willow Lake. Mr. Houghton died May 17 of 1979. She has continued making her home in Willow Lake and then moved to the South park Assisted Living Center in Bryant and later into the Parkview Care Center at Bryant a few years ago. Florence will long be remembered for having a hard work ethic and being willing to tell others the same, 'Hard work never killed anyone'. During her lifetime she worked in the home gardening, canning and doing handiwork crocheting, quilting and needlepoint. She was employed for the Crouse Drug in Willow Lake as a clerk for many years and also as a nurses aid in Clark. She loved to play cards, dance and visit with people. She was a member of the United Presbyterian Church at Willow Lake. Survivors include her daughter, Marlys (Keith) Larson of DeSmet, a daughter-in-law, Judy Noethlich of Doland; 7 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and a great-great granddaughter. She also leaves 4 stepsons: Al (Elsie) Houghton of Willow Lake SD; Robert (Lola) Houghton of Colorado Springs, CO; Ed (Joann) Houghton of Ashland, OR; Ron (Teri) Houghton of Grants Pass, OR. Eight step daughters: Doris Larson of Watertown, SD; Virene (John) Stromsness of Minnetonka, MN; Donna (Bernie) Hamilton of Eden Prairie, MN; Adele (Gordon) Reed of Alta Loma, CA; Janice (Charles) Killingsworth of Loomis, CA; Karen Emel of Newport, WA; Linda (Don) Fleeger of Webster, SD; Carole (Douglas) Kettwig of Watertown, SD; One step daughter-in-law Karen Houghton of Eden Prairie, MN. 48 step grandchildren; 76 step great grandchildren and 5 step great-great grandchildren. Preceding her in death were her parents, husbands, LeRoy and Charles, sons Donald and Laurel 'Butch', a granddaughter, Lisa Noethlich, brother, John Mundhenke and sister, Bernice Meester, step-son, Earl 'Bill' Houghton, step son-in-law Phillip Emel and a step-grandson, David Hamilton. The Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family where you can email a condolence at www.furnessfuneralhome.com