Because of her parent’s advancing age it was up to her to help on the farm and in the house and to care for her parents. She cared for her mother during her 5 year illness before she died. After that she moved to Decorah with her father where she met Frank.

After their marriage they moved to Ml where she had 4 children in 5 years. Because Frank had asthma Stella had to do much of the farm work, so Frank stayed inside and did the house work. He even did some of the mending but one of his sons said the socks he mended weren’t real comfortable. Stella sewed most of the children’s clothes. After Frank passed away Stella spent some time in Great Falls, MT with her sisters Tillie and Clara. While there she cared for an elderly lady. She came back to Decorah where she took care of many elderly people and later her grandchildren. She even made diapers for them. She enjoyed playing the harmonica after a long day of work out on the farm. She loved taking pictures of her children as they were growing up. She would play checkers with her grandson Rodney Houck and let him win. She could make the best pie and show little effort in doing it. She passed away 14 Nov 1988 and Frank died on 13 Oct 1960. They are buried in the Burr Oak Cemetery.

Houck, Francis Wayland and Eva (Woodruff)

(Carrie Houck Lee)

Francis Wayland Houck was born 20 May 1852 in Cattaragus Co. N.Y He was the son of Jacob and Anna Malinda (Sill) Houck. His father was born in PA 1 Jan 1824 and his mother was born in NY State 14 Oct 1828. They were married 1 Jan 1850 in N.Y State. He had 2 brothers and one sister: William, Charles and Emma (Mrs. Wilbur Duprez).

Wayland moved to Bluffton, IA with his parents where his father purchased land from the government in the early 1850's. Later they moved to Burr Oak, IA where he got his education in rural schools.

Francis moved to Decorah for a short time and in the late seventies he moved to Rocky Valley, IA where he conducted a retail hardware store. While living there he married Eva Woodruff from Waverly. They had 3 children: Edith (Meyer), Rav and Grace (Green), the second wife of Harry Green, editor of the Decorah Public Opinion newspaper.

He moved his family to Sheldon, IA where he worked as a traveling salesman for the Rock Island Stove Co. He was a member of several secret orders among them the Masons and the Odd Fellows. Francis passed away 20 Mar 1919 and is buried in Sheldon.

Houck, Harvey and Lorraine (Bigler)

(Lorraine Houck)

Harvery Houck was born in Twining, Ml, the son of Frank and Stella Houck. His sister and brothers were Wilbur, Charles and Margary Gottschling. He attended the Freeport Rural School and Decorah High School. After this he farmed, worked at the Ford Garage for 31/2 years and entered the Army Jan 1953 for two years as a Sergeant. Fifteen months of this time was spent in Korea. He was a custodian for 27 years at the Decorah Community School and was known as the "Bat Man” because he wasn’t afraid to capture the bats at the East Side School with his bare hands. Harvey is known by his family as the “handy man”. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t attempt to repair. Harvey can often be seen in the park with his friendly detector.

Harvey and Lorraine (Bigler) were married 4 Jun 1960 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Locust. Lorraine was born  in Pleasant Twp. the daughter of Lester and Myrtle Bigler.Her sisters and brother were Evelyn Sersland, Muriel Olsen, Kathryn Berg, Lois Smith and Steven Bigler.

Lorraine attended Pleasant #8 Rural School and is a graduate of Decorah High School and Luther College. In the fall of 1952 she started her teaching career for 8 years in the rural schools of Winneshiek Co. After the closing of the rural schools she taught a total of 31 1/2 years in Decorah Community Schools. Lorraine enjoys helping the boys and girls tag monarch butterflies, giving them tours at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Park and Museum and sharing good books.

Harvey and Lorraine have 2 children who graduated from Decorah High School: Rodney and Pamela. As a grade school student Rodney started a morning paper route. He especially enjoyed his customers and the wildlife that he saw in the early morning hours. Rodney worked at Ronningen Motors and for area farmers including his grandfather, Lester Bigler. In June of 1981 he enlisted for four years in the 82nd Airborne Division and received his basic training at Fort Benning, GA. Following basic training Rodney was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC with training sessions in Germany, Spain and the Panama Canal. He obtained the rank of Sergeant. He graduated from Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, IA after which he spent one year counseling at His Mansion Ministries in Hillsboro, NH. He is a Developmental Instructor for the handicapped at Hills and Dales in Dubuque.

Pamela was born at Decorah. At the age of eleven she started baby sitting and was kept very busy. She worked weekends at the Oneota Riverview Care Facility and also Oneota Golf & Country Club. She worked for the Youth Conservation Corps and enjoyed working in the parks of Winneshiek Co. Pamela attended Luther College, University of West Florida in Pensacola, FL, University College Dublin in Dublin, Ireland and graduated from Luther College in 1986. After she graduated from Luther she traveled in Europe, worked for a while in London and absorbed as much of the art and history of each of the ten countries she visited as she possibly could. She is a CPS Service Coordinator in Westchester, IL.

Houck, Jacob and Anna Malinda (Sill)

(Harvey Houck and Carrie Houck Lee)

Jacob Houck was born 1 Jan 1824 in PA. His father died when he was a small boy. It is believed his mother was Christina Houck Brode who was married to Samuel Brode. Jacob had two brothers, Martin and Simon, who lived in Minnesota. He may have had half brothers and sisters.

Jacob married Anna Malinda Sill 1 Jan 1850 in Franklinville, N.Y Anna was born 14 Oct 1828 in Cattaraugus Co. N.Y Her parents were Elijah and Margaret Sill. Her sib