Walter Swansby Houchen
Walt Houchen
recalled believing from a young age that he was born blessed. He
continued to live his life with just that perspective, and he
made a lasting impression on those he met and loved. He felt
blessed with family, friends, work, and creativity.
Walter Swanby Houchen was born on December 3, 1932, in Sidney
Memorial Hospital in Sidney, Montana, the last of seven
surviving children of Edgar and Clara Houchen. Walter died
Tuesday, August 3, 2010, at home after a long illness.
Walter loved to tell stories and jokes to his children, mostly
on long car trips, which constituted most of the family
vacations over the years. His most frequent phrase while behind
the wheel of the car was, “Let’s see where this road goes.”
Walter was educated in country schools until the eighth grade
when he moved into town to attend public high school. When his
parents retired from the family homestead in 1946, Walter and
his next older sister joined their parents in El Cajon,
California. Walter attended Grossmont High School, graduating in
1950. He attended San Diego State University for two years
before being drafted into the Army in December 1952. He was
stationed primarily in Weilflecken, Germany, and was honorably
discharged in 1954. Walter moved back to Sidney and worked with
his brothers on the family farm until meeting his first wife
Chloe Tesch on a blind date in the fall of 1955. They married on
February 12, 1956, and lived in San Diego while Walter worked as
a telephone installer and attended San Diego State University.
The young couple took over the family homestead near Sidney
March 1957 with their infant son.
Walt gained a reputation as a stockman during his years on the
farm, and he and his wife were leaders and members of local
groups including Farm Bureau and 4-H. After leaving the farm in
1967, the family moved to Billings, Montana, where Walt attended
Billings Automotive and then Denver Automotive. He began a long
career in diesel and generator fabrication and maintenance with
Holeman Diesel and then Interstate Diesel in Billings that ended
with his retirement in 1992. Along the way, Walt mentored many
young men who became members of the family.
A great source of joy for Walt and Chloe was being charter
members of a new Missouri Synod Lutheran church in the Heights
area in 1980, and they participated in planning and outreach
that eventually included constructing a new building. Chloe died
in January 1990 after a short illness.
In early 1993, Walt was asked to help a fellow church member
with a malfunctioning snow blower and that is how he met Dorothy
Angell whom he married in July 1993. During their retirement,
they kept busy. Walt continued his love of reading about Montana
History, his artwork, and his new interest in woodworking. Many
of Walt’s designs adorn his house and his children’s houses.
Walt and Dorothy greatly enjoyed traveling and visiting friends
and family, and they shared many visits to children and
grandchildren in Washington, Oregon, and Colorado over the next
17 years.
While Walt felt blessed with his life, it is Walt who was the
blessing to his family and friends.
Walt is survived by his second wife, Dorothy, of the family
home, son Larry of Boulder, Colorado, daughter Brenda of
Troutdale, Oregon, daughter Heidi of Ridgefield, Washington,
stepdaughter Diane of Denver, Colorado, stepson Tom of Chehalis,
Washington, stepson Don of Billings, Montana, two grandchildren,
nine step-grandchildren, and two step-great-grandchildren. Walt
is also survived by two sisters: Doris Ledbetter of Santa Rosa,
California, and Margaret Taylor-Foster of Sacramento,
California.
Visitation will be 1-8pm Friday at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary. Services will be held at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 1603 St. Andrews Drive, in Billings on Saturday at 2 p.m. with interment at Sunset Memorial Gardens, 1721 Central Avenue. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Lung Association or Our Savior Lutheran Church.
Remembrances
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