The Funeral Service for Beatrice Houghton, age 82 of Hettinger, will be 10:00am Saturday, November 30, 2013 at the Hettinger Lutheran Church. Pastor Kathleen Dettmann will officiate with burial in the Hettinger Cemetery.

A family service will be held at 7:30pm on Friday evening at the Centennial Chapel of the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger.

Beatrice Houghton passed from her Earthly home peacefully utilizing her angel wings that she earned while on Earth many years ago finding rest and comfort with her Heavenly Father on Monday, November 25, 2013 with her four daughters and a granddaughter at her side after a courageous battle with cancer where complications led to a stroke.

Beatrice (Braun) Houghton was born December 23, 1930 to Ray and Anna (Mischel) Braun in Haynes, North Dakota. She grew up on the family farm just to the west of Haynes. She attended school in Haynes, graduating with the class of 1948 from Haynes High School.

On September 12, 1949 she married Jewel Houghton at his parents' home in Hettinger after meeting him at a dance in Haynes and falling deeply in love with the only man who would ever have her heart. Jewel and Bea made their home on Jewel's parents homestead north of Haynes. To this union six children were born: Donna Thomason, Doris Nash, John Houghton, Dorothy Becker; and twins Doreen Ormiston and Darlene Mellmer. In 1964 when the twins were born and Bea felt she needed running water and indoor plumbing, they moved to their home in Hettinger where they continued to raise their six children. Jewel passed away on January 26, 1977 with Bea continuing to live there until the time of her death. Bea was a member of Hettinger Lutheran Church and her faith was very important to her, sustaining her to the end. Her Bible was always close at hand.

Grandma Bea as she was so affectionately known by many spent her adult life giving of herself unselfishly to raising her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. There was never a time when you came to Bea's house and the sights and sounds of children were not there. A crib and high-chair were forever present in her home and she wouldn't have it any other way. She often said her purpose in life was to be there for as many children as she could and she fulfilled that purpose above and beyond the call of duty. She was always there for any child who needed her, young or old, whether it is her own children, a grandchild, or the child of someone who just needed a place to stay. She would unselfishly open her doors, her yard, and her cupboards to anyone who stopped over. Bea loved watching her grandchildren participate in sports or any activity they participated in. She loved spending countless hours playing a game of rummy, Yahtzee, or building jigsaw puzzles at her kitchen table with her grandchildren, often staying up until the wee hours of the evening with them. Besides being there for her children and grandchildren Bea loved to take care of her flower gardens and enjoyed the simple things in life. She always said, ""I don't need a fancy car or nice clothes to make me happy, my family is all I need."" She put everyone else first, always worrying about everyone else before even remotely thinking of herself. Bea gave of herself as a volunteer a lot throughout her life, whether it be as a reading Grandma, volunteer work at the Clothes Closet, a Campfire leader or Boy Scout leader in her children's younger years, helping with VBS, or making the table centerpieces for the annual church harvest festival for many years. She was a very caring, loving, and completely unselfish lady who will be missed by many.

Grateful for having been blessed to call her Mom and surviving her are her four living daughters and their spouses: Donna Thomason, Dorothy (Dale) Becker; Doreen (Kevin) Ormiston all of Hettinger, and Darlene (Tracy) Mellmer of Beulah, ND; daughter-in-law Bev Houghton, Hettinger, ND; her 18 grandchildren: Carla Blade, Sandy Wiskus, Jolene Beld, Jim Houghton, Juell Schaible, Jody Jurisch, John Allan Houghton, Amber Woroneicki, Sarah Timm, Bethany Greff, Eric Ormiston, Katie Houghton, Evan Mellmer, Lucas Ormiston, Tyrel Mellmer, Megan Ormiston, Spencer Mellmer, and Mason Mellmer, 27 great grandchildren, 3 great-great grandsons, 4 step-grandchildren, and 7 step-great-grandchildren; two brothers, Lee (Dorothy) Braun, Newell, SD; and Tom (Irene) Braun, Box Elder, SD; one sister-in-law, Mary Braun, Lead, SD; one brother-in-law Clayton Starck, Center, ND; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jewel; her only son, John; a daughter, Doris Nash; and a son-in-law Doug Nash; two sisters, Faye Starck and Mary Ann Hendricks and her husband, Doc; and a brother, Bud Braun.

Grandma Bea will be deeply missed but her love and unselfish giving of herself will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.