Alvin Louis Houle age 85 of Ironton died on March 19, 2019 at the St. Cloud Hospital. He was born in Centerville, MN on October 31, 1933 to William and Ruth (Hebert) Houle. Al married Mary Lou Plut on August 22, 1959 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Crosby. He graduated from St. John’s University of Collegeville, class of 1955 and earned a Master’s Degree from St. Cloud State University. He had a thirty-seven year career as an educator in history and modern languages, serving St. John’s Prep School at Collegeville, Aitkin High School and Crosby-Ironton High School. Al was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Crosby, the Cuyuna Range and Crow Wing County Historical Societies, and the Minnesota Federation of Teachers.
Al is survived by his wife of 59 ½ years, Mary Lou; two sons, Denis (Rebecca Borrud) Houle of Minneapolis, Thomas Houle of St. Louis Park; two daughters, Susan (Otto) Spitz of Fairfax, VA and Barbara Houle of Austin, MN; two brothers, Henry (Elaine) Houle of Forest Lake and John (Helen) Houle of Mounds View; one sister, Virginia (John) Resler of White Bear Lake; five grandchildren, Jonathan Spitz, Stefanie Spitz, Aaron Spitz, Anton Houle and Dmitri Houle.
Preceding Al in death are his parents, two brothers, William and Frank Houle; five sisters, Bernice O’Gorman, Eleanor Peloquin, Leona Preiner, Delores Foster and Ruth Riley.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 25, 2019 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Crosby. Burial will be at the Lakewood Cemetery in Crosby. Visitation will be on Sunday, March 24 at the Koop Funeral Home in Crosby from 2 to 5 p.m. with a rosary at 5:00 p.m.