Esther Mae Houck

Esther Mae Houck, age 74, of Decorah, Iowa, died on Sunday, January 21, 2007, at Wellington Place, Decorah, Iowa, following a lengthy illness. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 24, 2007, at the Decorah Lutheran Church, with Rev. James Glesne officiating. Burial will be in the Freeport Cemetery, Decorah, Iowa. Friends may call from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the Schluter - Balik Funeral Home in Decorah, Iowa, and after 10:00 a.m. at the church on Wednesday morning. Esther Mae (Otteson) Houck was born on January 14, 1933, the daughter of Orlando and Helen (Overacker) Otteson in Decorah, Iowa. Esther attended the Freeport School and Decorah Schools. She worked as a maid at the Deluxe Hotel and the Hotel Winneshiek. Esther worked for the Decorah Newspapers for seventeen years in the mailroom. She married Wilbur LeRoy Houck on December 23, 1954 in Freeport. Esther enjoyed flower gardening, doll making, crocheting, fishing, hunting and rock hunting. Esther's survivors include her three daughters: Carrie (Kevin) Lee, Freeport, IA; Glenda (Charles) Emery, Burr Oak, IA and Bonita (Kirk) Winter, Lake City, MN. Eleven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. One brother: Dale (Evelyn) Otteson, Decorah, IA and one sister: Mavis (Darryl) Mitchell, Rossville, IA. Esther was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Wilbur in 1992; and one grandson, Anton in 1981.