Ronald Houghton

Ronald James Houghton, 63, Watertown, South Dakota, died suddenly on November 4, 2010. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held on November 20th at 2 p.m. in the Willow Lake High School gymnasium. Ron Houghton was born in Watertown, South Dakota, to Charles and Mata (Gehrke) Houghton on August 8, 1947. He was baptized and confirmed at the Willow Lake Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Church. He graduated from Willow Lake High School in 1965. Ron served in the United States Marine Corps from 1966 to 1972, during which time he was on active duty in Viet Nam as well as in the Marine Reserves. He attended Black Hills State, Spearfish, SD; and Southern Oregon University, Ashland, Oregon; graduating in 1973. He completed a Masters Degree at Utah State University, Logan, UT, in 1978. On July 29, 1972, he married Teri Lynch in Reno, Nevada. They moved to Adelaide, South Australia in 1974, where he taught high school math, history, and physical education, until returning for graduate school in 1976. In 1977 he moved to Grants Pass, Oregon, where he taught business and marketing at high schools in Grants Pass and Medford, Oregon, until his retirement. Ron was a loving father, husband, brother, uncle, and friend. He enjoyed playing golf, sports of all kinds, reading, and his family. Grateful for having been part of his life are his wife, Teri; children: Robert, Wilsonville, OR; Matthew and Samantha, students at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR; siblings: Doris Larson, Watertown, SD; Robert (Lola) Houghton, Colorado Springs, CO; Edward (JoAnn) Houghton, Ashland, OR; Donna (Bernard) Hamilton, Eden Prairie, MN; Janice (Charles) Killingsworth, Loomis, CA; Karen Emel, Newport, WA; Linda (Don) Fleeger, Webster, SD; and Carole (Douglas) Kettwig, Watertown, SD; his sisters-in-law, Elsie Houghton, Willow Lake, SD; Karen Houghton, Eden Prairie, MN; his brothers-in-law: John Stromsness, Minnetonka, MN; Gordon Reed, Alta Loma, CA; Tim (Denise) Lynch, Sebastopol, CA; Patrick (Kathy) Lynch, Carmel, CA; and parents-in-law, Luther (Jean) Lynch, Grants Pass, OR; step sister, Marlys (Keith) Larson, DeSmet, SD; step sister-in-law, Judy Noethlich, Doland, SD; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Mata Houghton; step mother Florence Houghton; sisters Virene Stromsness and Adele Reed; brothers Clifford Houghton, Earl (Bill) Houghton, Albert (Bud) Houghton; nephew, David Hamilton; brothers-in-law Ivan Larson and Phil Emel; and step-brothers Laurel (Butch) and Donald Noethlich. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Ron Houghton Memorial Fund at Dakotah Bank, Willow Lake, SD. The fund will be used to honor Ron's Willow Lake roots and his interest in its community. There will be no visitation. Funeral services are announced by the Furness Funeral Home of Clark, SD. www.furnessfuneralhome.com