Ernest Jean "Jean" Houge (1914-1955)

HOUGE, ESTREM

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 10/18/2023 at 22:26:30

From The Slater News June 16, 1955 (page 1)

Former Resident An Accident Victim

Funeral services for Jean Houge, 41, who was killed in a car accident Saturday morning, were held Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 p. m. from the Riis Funeral Home and at 2:00 o'clock from the Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Rev. Leo O. Bjorlie officiated assisted by Dean M. D. Helser of Ames.

Lester Moore sang two solos "Beyond the Sunset" and "The Old Rugged Cross," accompanied by Mrs. Robert Newman.

The floral tributes were beautiful and there were a number of gifts to worthy causes in memory of Mr. Houge.

Pallbearers were Fred Carlson, Forest Blomgren, Charles Robinson, Marion Boyd, George Leonard and Raymond Good.

Burial was in the Bethlehem Cemetery.

Jean was born Sept. 27, 1914 in Slater to parents W. O. and Ida Houge. He grew to manhood in this community and was baptized and confirmed in the Bethlehem Lutheran Church. It was here, as a youth, he attended Sunday school and church. He was baptized Ernest Jean but had been known as Jean most of his life.

In 1939 he was united in marriage to Hazel Estrem.

Survivors include his wife and five children: Karen Kay, 15, Wynn Howard, 14, Curtis Jean, 12, Rodney William, 6, and Nancy Jane, 4; his parents; two brothers, Irvin of Alleman and Carroll of Aurora; a sister, Marjorie Carr of Oelwein; and numerous other relatives and friends.

The four older Houge children were in the accident with their father and were all injured. Wynn was most seriously hurt, suffering a fractured pelvis. Karen had a broken nose, cuts and bruises; Rodney, a broken collar bone and bruises All four suffered shock.

Mr. Houge and the four children were on their way to town and had gone only and half-mile from home on a county road when their car collided with a car driven by Wendel Patterson of Madrid at the intersection of another county road.

Mr. Houge suffered a broken neck and cuts. Mr. Patterson was injured and taken to a Boone hospital.