Leta Mae Houlette (1924-2019)

Leta Mae Houlette, age 95, of Kenosha, passed away at Parkside Manor in Kenosha, after a 15-year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

            Born in Berdan, IL on July 27, 1924, she was the daughter of Charles and Dora (Harper) Havlin. She moved to Kenosha, WI as a teenager and was raised by her beloved brother Melvin Havlin. She graduated from Bradford High School.

            On July 5, 1951, she married Laurence Augustine, divorcing in 1964. In May 1966, she married Richard Houlette, a union that would last until Richard’s death in 2003.

            Leta worked for a time at Garb’s in downtown Kenosha, and later was a checker at the southside Piggly Wiggly for nearly 20 years. Beginning in the 1950s, she became a practicing Jehovah’s Witness, a faith that she maintained for over 60 years. She loved classical music and show tunes (especially the soundtrack to The Sound of Music), doing puzzles of all kinds, especially crossword and jigsaw puzzles, and spending time with her family and friends.

            In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by six siblings: Harold, Roland, Melvin, Helen (Skip), Leo, and James.

            Survivors include her two children, Matthew (Kim) Augustine and Brian (Mara) Augustine, both of Kenosha, and her stepchildren, Karen (Matt) Farley and David (Sharon) Houlette; her nine grandchildren, Brandy (Nolan) MacAbee, Jason (Becki) Rolens, Leila Augustine, David Augustine, Eric (Roxanne) Augustine, Michael Augustine, Megan Augustine, Ryan Farley, and Kristen Houlette; her six great-grandchildren, Cody and Taylor Hendrickson, Aidan and Kian Rolens, Liam MacAbee, and Charles Augustine; and a great-great-grandchild, Solana Bennett.

            Leta (Nana) will be greatly missed by all those whose lives she touched.

            The family wishes to thank Parkside Manor for the compassionate care given to Leta for the last 3 ½ years and Hospice Alliance in her final days.

Funeral Services will be private.