Obituary: John Houle Jr.,1935-2025

John Houle Jr., a lifetime resident of Winooski, Vt., joined his Lord and Savior on August 7, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.

John was born on September 1, 1935, and was the son of the late John A. Houle and Gertrude (Garrow) Houle. John married the love of his life, the late Barbara (Pecor) Houle, and started a family in 1964, when their daughter, Laura “Laurie,” was born, followed by their son, Terry, in 1967.

Life was busy for John. He served in the Vermont Army National Guard for years and retired from General Electric after 35 years. In the early ‘60s, John built a beautiful deer camp in Belvidere, with a couple of close friends, where he enjoyed spending time with family and friends. He especially enjoyed weekend overnights with his son, Terry — hunting, trout fishing, walking in the woods and making beautiful memories together. John also had a love for the water and swimming, which began in his childhood. His father would take him and his sisters down to Mallets Bay quite frequently to swim and enjoy time with the family.

John’s love of the water extended into his later years. He would bring his own children swimming, down to the bay, almost every night after work. When his daughter, Laura, moved to Fort Myers, Fla., he would spend the winter months with her, swimming in the ocean and shelling at the beach in the sunshine. He made many new friends in Florida. A couple of times, his sister Patsy joined him in Florida, and the good times and the laughter they had together were priceless.

Everyone who knew John loved him. John loved to have fun, and he was a friend to everyone. Music was also a big pastime. John loved jazz and American classics, which he enjoyed listening to and singing with his wife, Barb. Frank Sinatra was their favorite. In his later years, John and his sister Patsy spent many nights out on the town on Church Street at Radio Bean and Red Square listening to music. John also spent many Friday nights at the American Legion with his son, Terry, his sister Patsy and old friends. John loved his family and his friends very much.

John was always a healthy man, but old age took its toll the past couple of years, and our Lord and Savior came and took him home to be reunited with all those whom he loved and were taken before him. John was predeceased by his wife, Barbara (Pecor) Houle, in 2007; his father, John Houle; and his mother, Gertrude (Garrow) Houle.

John is survived by his daughter, Laura (Houle) Young, of Omaha, Neb.; his son, Terry Houle, of Winooski, Vt.; His two sisters, Patricia Malaney of Burlington, Vt., and Pauline Chicoine of Winooski, Vt.; and many nieces and nephews, who will miss him dearly.

The family would like to give a special thanks to the University of Vermont Home Health and Hospice for coming into John’s home and caring for him.

At John’s request, a celebration of life was held with family members at his camp in Belvidere, where his ashes were spread on his property and where he joined his wife, Barbara.

We all miss John so very much — his laughter, his sense of humor, his jokes. Until we meet again, “Love you, love you, love you.”

This article appears in The Winter Preview Issue 2025.