Eric Hougard

Eric Hougard, passed away shortly after midnight on Sunday morning, January 28, 2018. His passing was quiet and peaceful; surrounded by his three daughters, his good friend David Peters and a Chaplin. On Saturday, January 27th he had a massive stroke, and never recovered. He had a wonderful few days just before, visiting with many friends in Bozeman and Gateway – a burst of energy and feeling well, laughing while getting stuck in the snowdrifts.



Eric was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin to Howard and Carol Hougard in 1943. He is the oldest son of a family of seven children.



Eric attended school in Green Bay. His first 8 years were spent at Saint Patrick’s Catholic grade school. He graduated from Premontre Catholic High School in 1961. After high school, he entered his apprenticeship as a mason with the family construction company, George M. Hougard & Sons. He is a descendent of his great grandfather, John T. Hougaard, from Denmark Europe, who was the first brick mason in Suring, Wisconsin.



George M. Hougard & Sons built Lambeau Field in 1957, home to the Green Bay Packers. As a 14-year-old boy he helped insert the bolts into the new stadium seats and was very proud to have been a part of the building of the “Original” stadium.



He attended the 1967 ‘Ice Bowl’ with his father, Howard, and sister, Mary when the Packers defeated the Cowboys. Eric attended many home games and through the decades was an avid fan.



As a young man, Eric loved to drive sports cars. He owned several, including a TR3; MG; Alpha Romeo; a Corvair (a short timer— not really sporty enough); and lastly, his pride and joy, a 1962 Corvette. It was red and had white inserts on the sides, and came with a hard and a soft top. It was “all season” and he carefully drove it year round.



His sister Ann, commented that, “Eric was a wonderful, thoughtful, and caring brother. She thought he was very handsome, fun person, and she enjoyed the exciting rides in his cars. She remembers him as a hard-working, dedicated businessman. He enjoyed camping with their entire family at Peninsula State Park.”



Eric married Ceily in 1964 and drove the Corvette to Boulder, Colorado to visit his Aunt. The newly married couple settled in Boulder, where he decided that the West was his landscape in which to raise a family, build a home, and have adventures. When daughter Jodi was born, the corvette was traded for a 1964 International TravelAll, the ‘Family Van’ of the 60’s. Kim arrived soon after and then Heidi. The family loved hiking, camping and skiing in the Colorado Mountains. In Boulder, he worked as an estimator for Flatirons Precast, and then started his own masonry business where he laid thousands of bricks on the building of the CU campus and many storefronts when the city was first creating the Pearl Mall Street in downtown Boulder.



Eric’s sister Jean remembers, “ that Howard and Carol put the remaining kids in the station wagon, including the dog, with skis on top, and drove to Boulder to visit in 1967. Eric was working on a condo in Vail, and we all went there to ski! We had a big station wagon, but 8 of us were stuffed in that car! Someone had to be in the way back sleeping! Mother made a big box of pb& j sandwiches and froze them. As they thawed, we ate! Yum! White wonder bread!!”



When visiting Montana on a vacation, Eric bought acreage. He saw the Gallatin Valley as un-crowded and open like Boulder used to be. They sold the Boulder home and moved to Gallatin Gateway in 1977, where he moved his masonry business. His brother Keith, worked with him in those first years in Montana, and then later his nephew Aaron, spent a summer laying 1000’s of bricks on the Merganthaler building on 19th in Bozeman. The fireplaces that he built will be a forever monument in the 100’s of homes around the Gallatin Valley and Big Sky. Among many memorable projects, he built a fireplace for Charles Kuralt near Dillon. He and his daughters camped there and the girls were mason tenders and carried buckets of water and rock from the creek to the job site, as a summer job. Local icons that he worked on are: Owenhouse Ace Hardware downtown, Car wash on East Main St., and the Big Sky Bank at the turn to Big Sky.



In time, he and his family moved to acreage on the Gallatin River where he built his dream home with beautiful fireplaces, tile floors, rock exterior and passive solar features. The acreage was an awesome place to raise his daughters, who all enjoyed fly fishing and hunting white tail deer with him. The family raised registered Shorthorn cattle that they showed for several years at the Montana Winter Fair. The farm also had goats, horses, a large gardens and dogs.



Eric divorced in 1992. In 1997 he married Lynn. With his second wife he enjoyed traveling to Europe with trips to Norway, Zermatt, and France. He was overjoyed to finally visit Denmark, the home of many of his relations. They rafted and paddled on many rivers. He loved to Nordic ski at Bohart and West Yellowstone. He volunteered during the Salt Lake winter games. He volunteered with Eagle Mount with children and then with his close friend Doug. He enjoyed walking around his neighborhood and visiting with many of the neighbors who became friends over the years. He often used the hiking trail behind his house for walking and biking. He would describe how beautiful the mountains looked that day and how lucky he was to live there!



Throughout Eric’s life he owned multiple businesses - brick laying, snowplowing, ranching, running a wood stove shop, and operating a storage unit facility. He was a respected businessman in the Bozeman area, and an expert in his trade. He trained several brick/stone masons over the years, they now have their own successful businesses in the area. He would often go to their jobsites to consult and bring bagels!



Eric was an avid hunter. He enjoyed exploring in the woods looking for white tale deer and Elk. He took a trip to Nimibia Africa to hunt with friends. He has many friends who he hunted with.



Eric loved his 3 children and 5 grandchildren and they brought him great joy. He would often show his friends photos of them and tell stories of their many activities and visits. He traveled to Oregon many times to visit and they came to Montana to see him. Just last August he and his youngest granddaughter made ‘wood chip soup’ with the many wood shavings from the lathe. She would gather them and he used his drill as a mixer to ‘stir’ the soup. He loved to ski at Big Sky, Bridger Bowl and Mt. Hood. He traveled to Hawaii with his daughter and grandsons. Along with many facetime calls to oversee the construction of a fireplace his oldest daughter and her husband are building in their backyard!



Both grandaughters enjoyed playing piano in person and over FaceTime with Grandpa Elk...laughing so hard together when he would fall asleep and all they would see was the pillowcase and hear him snoring!



Eric’s daughter Kim had 3 grandsons with whom he shared many adventures, including biking, hiking, hunting and fishing. He took his oldest grandson to Alaska for a great adventure of exploration. Kim’s middle son helped his grandpa with his brick driveway a few years ago and recently he visited to collect hides for tanning. A big heartbreak for the entire family was when Eric’s youngest grandson Owen died of cancer 4 years ago. Eric spent many weeks in Oregon during the 6 month ordeal. He was very thankful for the love and support of his close friends and family during this very rough time.



In the past 10 years he started a new hobby -woodturning with his lathes. He made 100’s of bowls that he has given as gifts to many people. He was very involved with the Woodturners Guild and met with them for inspiration and friendship. His granddaughter was just here 3 weeks ago to learn how to use the lathe. She proudly turned a honey dipper!



This week on his bedside pillow he was reading: ‘Bucking the Sun’, ‘Sweet Thunder’ both by Ivan Doig, ‘The Four Agreements’ by Don Miguel Ruiz and ‘A Sand County Almanac’ by Aldo Leopold.







Life Member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

Colorado Mountain Club

Trout Unlimited

Golden Arrow Archery Club

Rocky Mountain Woodturners Guild



Eric was preceded in death by his Parents, Howard & Carol Hougard, his grandson Owen Stolte and Aunt Kathryn (Hougard) Rathburn. Uncle Robert Hougard (Green Bay) and Uncle Roger "Buz" Rathburn (Boulder, Co)





He is survived by his 3 daughters, their husbands, and grandchildren: Jodi Hougard Petty (Mike Petty, daughter Ella (6)); Kim Stolte (sons; Eric and Adam Stolte); Heidi Hougard (Dan Tilden, daughter Lily (11)); Siblings: Ann Hougard (Green Bay), Jean Hougard (Chicago), Mary Hougard Watts (Green Bay), Peter Hougard (Roseburg, Oregon), Keith Hougard (Green Bay), Nancy Hougard (Green Bay), Uncle Robert Hougard and Uncle Robert Rathburn



In lieu of flowers please Donate to:

Eagle Mount an organization Eric worked with for years.

EagleMount.org 6901 Goldenstein Lane Bozeman MT 59715 406-586-1781

Gateway Youth Group a community non-profit working with youth in Gallatin Gateway Montana. GatewayYouthGroup.org 7600 Shedhorn Drive Bozeman, MT 59718 406-582-8667





Memorial Open House will be Saturday, February 24, 2018 1-5pm at Dahl Funeral Cremation Service Tribute Center on Highland Blvd. in Bozeman, Montana.