Obituary for Edward Houle
As it appeared in the Door County Advocate, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Tuesday - March 2, 1954

"Services Wednesday for Edward Houle, 75"

Funeral services for Edward Louis Houle, 75, who died Sunday morning at Door County Memorial hospital, will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday from St. Joseph's Catholic Church with Rev. A. J. Koeferl officiating. Burial will be at St. Joseph's cemetery. The body will lie in state at Hahn's after three o'clock this afternoon with the rosary being said at 8 o'clock tonight.

Born May 6, 1878 to John and Ida Houle, he was a lifelong resident of Sturgeon Bay. For many years he was a linotype operator for the Door County Advocate. He retired a number of years ago.

His wife, the former Martha Erickson, whom he married 46 years ago, survives. Other survivors include five daughters, Mrs. Vera Busby, Milwaukee, Mrs. A. (Marion) Halvorsen, Two Rivers, Mrs. Charles (Adel) Redfield, Stevens Point, Mrs. Loren (Beulah) Stevens, Chicago, and Mona,Sturgeon Bay; and two sisters, Mrs. Ed (Margaret) Franklin and Emily, Sturgeon Bay.

==================================================

Excerpt from "History of Door County, Wisconsin"
Published by the S. J. Clarke Company, Chicago, Illinois - 1917
Volume I, page 235

Edward L. Houle

Edward L. Houle is the vice president of the Door County Publishing Company, engaged in the publication of the Door County Democrat, and has had long experience in this business, which he entered at the age of thirteen years and with which he has been continuously connected, working his way upward step by step to his present position. He was born in Sturgeon Bay, where he still makes his home, on the 6th day of May, 1878, and is a son of John and Ida (Seymour) Houle, who were natives of Brown county, Wisconsin. The father was a carpenter by trade and in early life came to Sturgeon Bay, where he continued to work in connection with building operations up to the time of his death, which occurred February 21, 1913. His widow survives.

The boyhood days of Edward L. Houle were spent in his native city and he attended its public schools and the Catholic parochial school, but at the early age of thirteen years began providing for his own support by learning the printer's trade with J. J. Pinney, by whom he was employed continuously for about twenty years or until the death of the latter. His apprenticeship began in the job printing business six months before Mr. Pinney launched the Door County Democrat in 1893, and he has been with this publication throughout its existence with the exception of four months spent in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1906, where he went to learn the operation of the monotype. He grew up with the business, became Mr. Pinney's "right-hand-man," and at an early age for such responsibilities was placed in charge of the mechanical department of the newspaper office as foreman. He made himself familiar with every department of the business and became a thorough journeyman country printer, mastering every branch of the business, and has always proven equal to his responsibilities and faithful to his employer.He has worked with every employee who has ever held a position with the paper. His life's work has been with the Door County Democrat, and his long and responsible connection with the late J. J. Pinney and with the paper stands as unmistakable proof of his capability, industry and trustworthiness.

Upon the death of Mr. Pinney, three of the old employees of the business purchased the establishment and organized and incorporated the Door County Publishing Company, of which H. J. Sanderson became president; Edward L. Houle, vice president; and A. T. Harris, secretary-treasurer. This was done in 1910. They are the sole owners, stockholders and officers of the corporation and have continued the publication of the newspaper, which is now in its twenty-sixth year. They publish an interesting weekly and have a thoroughly equipped plant, not only for the publication of their newspaper, but also for the conducting of a large job printing business. Mr. Houle operates the typesetting machine, a Model 14 Mergenthaler linotype.

On the first day of June, 1908, Mr. Houle was married to Miss Martha M. Erickson, a daughter of Nels P. and Ingeborg Erickson. Martha Erickson attended the public schools of Sturgeon Bay, graduating from high school with the class of 1898. She attended business college, became a stenographer, and was for years employed in that capacity in the law office of the late Attorney R. P. Cody at Sturgeon Bay. Her parents were natives of Norway, and came to America early in life, settling in this county at what is now Circle Ridge, near Sawyer, where the father purchased land and engaged in farming. Both Mr. and Mrs. Erickson have now passed away.

Mr. and Mrs. Houle have become parents of four children: Vera Olive,born March 26, 1909; Marion Emily, born January 29, 1912; Adele Katherine, born September 26, 1914; and Beulah Josephine, born September 12, 1917. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church. They reside at number 524 Garland street and their home, which they own, is the abode of warm-hearted hospitality.