Obituary of Marjorie J. Houchins

Marjorie J. Houchins, age 78, of Cambridge, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family at her home on February 22, 2016 after a five year courageous battle with cancer. She was born on the family farm home in Pike Creek Township in Morrison County July 16, 1937 to the late Elmer and Margaret (Leikvoll) Broberg. Being one of only two daughters, she learned to work hard on the farm, driving the tractor and helping her parents. She attended school in Little Falls and graduated in 1955. Her senior year of high school she actually moved to town to make it easier to attend. Even though she was only 17, she was always a very responsible person. After graduation she moved to Minneapolis with girlfriends and worked for Montgomery Wards. She didn’t really enjoy the city life and decided to move back to Little Falls where she worked for several years as a Northwestern Bell Telephone Operator. While out with friends dancing at the “Falls Ballroom” she met her future husband, Arlo Houchins, who also worked for Northwestern Bell. She and Arlo married in 1957 at Bethel Lutheran Church in Little Falls. Their first apartment was in St. Cloud and eventually moved back to Little Falls when they purchased their first home. Mom loved that house and was sad to move when Arlo was transferred to Cambridge in 1967. Marjorie’s growing family became the focus of her life. As the four older ones entered school, she babysat a few neighbor children. It kept Janice busy and gave them some extra grocery money. In later years, she enjoyed babysitting her grandchildren always spoiling them with ice cream and cookies. They brought her so much joy! She loved to take them for walks to the “little park”. She also enjoyed sewing, dancing and playing cards with the family. She was a home body, so she faithfully listened to the church service on the radio every Sunday while preparing her famous Sunday roast beef meal. She will be remembered for her strong and honest work ethic, her scrumptious meals, especially mashed potatoes and gravy, how she got up early every morning to make hot breakfasts, her famous cookies and her mouth-watering apple pies and her never-ending devotion to her family. She is preceded in death by her husband Arlo; her parents Elmer and Margaret Broberg; father in law Lester Houchins, sister in law’s Ardis (Louis) Bolin and Genavieve Houchins. Marjorie is survived by her children Gregory Houchins, Cheryl (Mark) Madison, Loren Houchins (Diane Olson), Bruce (Helen) Houchins and Janice (Ken) Lutterman; grandchildren Jessica (Ravi) Hanson, Jon Gravem, Nick Houchins (Kayla Tronson), Eric Houchins, Cara (Pat) Narog, Michelle (Josh) Thiess, Elizabeth (Erik) Johnson, Brittany Houchins and Hannah Houchins; great grandchildren Tyler and Mackenzie Gravem, Chase Hanson, Preston and Landon Houchins, Emma Hamm, William Narog, and Madelyn Thiess, sister Fern Post, sister in law Lois (Alvie) Norr and brother in law’s Kenneth (Alice) Houchins and Robert Houchins.