Betty was born on Aug. 12, 1929, in the town of Three Lakes, WI to William and Edith Bonack. She was one of five siblings; consisting of two older sisters, Opal and Irma; one older brother, Clifford; and one younger brother, Junior. Betty attended Hiles High School, where she later graduated.
After high school, she stayed within the Hiles area where she met Jesse Joseph Houle, who she went on to marry in 1947. In the beginning years of their marriage, Betty and Jesse traveled out west where they settled briefly in Corvallis, Oregon, before they eventually settled back permanently in the Hiles area.
Throughout the course of their marriage, the two raised four boys together: Dave, Danny, Jesse, and Johnny. They built the Houle’s Grocery store in Hiles, WI, where Betty and much of their family spent most of their time running through endless hours, until the very day they had sold years later.
Betty’s lifetime has been riddled with a plethora of beautiful memories, as well as some tragic. In 1969 Betty’s son, Danny William Houle had fallen in the Vietnam War, and in 1970 Betty’s husband, Jesse Joesph Houle, passed away tragically at the age of 46, in a motorcycle accident. After these tragedies, Betty spent her time devoted as a mother, and grandmother to her beautiful, and growing family.
Betty enjoyed many outdoor activities alongside family and loved ones, enjoying countless weekends at her cottage on Pine Lake, fishing, hunting and spending time on the water. Additionally, Betty enjoyed spending her time leisurely traveling the United States, painting, camping, and capturing countless memories with photography.
She later remarried Martin Hozan, a silver star war veteran of World War II. The two continued their lives together in Hiles among their growing family, spending endless hours with her children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren.
In 1979, Martin Hozan passed of a heart attack. Betty, being the strong woman and mother she was, continued to spend her time around her loved ones, always being the glue of the Houle family and a staple of the Hiles community.
Betty had a beautiful family, always surrounded by endless love, laughter and joy. She will be remembered and forever missed by the many hearts that she had touched in her 95 years here.
She is survived by her son, (Johnny Houle); daughter in law, (Crystal Houle); grandchildren Lori (Stacy) Shampo, Amy (Brian) Houle-Bukovic, Angel (Jamie) Sears, Jesse (Sara) Houle, Tonya (Paul) Cleereman, Stephanie (Johnnie) Cleereman, Melanie (Jake) Flannery, Chad (Katey) Littleton, and Danny (Maria) Houle. Additionally, Betty is survived by her twenty-five great- grandchildren and six great- great-grandchildren.
Betty is proceeded in death by her parents, William and Edith Bonack; first husband, Jesse Houle; second husband, Martin Hozan; good friend, Gib Mattson; and her three sons, Danny Houle, David (Mary) Houle, and Jesse “Punk” Houle.
She will be missed dearly, but her memory will live on forever in many, many hearts.
Services were held Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, at Christ Lutheran Church in Hiles visitation took place two hours prior to the service, burial was at Crandon Lakeside Cemetery and a luncheon followed at the Hiles town hall.
Online condolences may be directed to www.weberhillfuneralhome.com PAID OBITUARY
