Christina M. Houwen

Ashton, IA Christina M. Houwen age 81 of Ashton, IA died Saturday, May 23, 2015 at the Osceola Community Hospital in Sibley, IA. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 27th at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Ashton, IA. Burial will follow at the church cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 26th from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., with family present from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Jurrens Funeral Home of Ashton. There will also be a Rosary at 4:00 p.m. and a 6:30 p.m. Vigil service Tuesday evening at the funeral home. Christina M. Houwen was born June 21, 1933 in Granville, Iowa, the daughter of Theodore and Mary (Hoffman) Klein. Christina was one of ten children. She was raised on a farm just outside of Ashton, IA. She attended St. Joseph's Parochial School and graduated in 1951. After her education she began working at the Cedar Cabin in Ashton. On May 4, 1957 she was united in marriage to William Houwen at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Ashton. Christina worked at Prieb's after their marriage, but stopped working to focus solely on their farm and family. They farmed between George, IA and Ashton their entire married life. On August 11, 1979 Christina's husband, William, died after a long struggle with cancer. She then moved to Sibley, IA and worked at Sibley Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for a short while. In 1989 she moved back to Ashton. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Ashton and the William B. Hoffman American Legion Post No. 290 Women's Auxiliary. She enjoyed bowling, playing cards and bingo. She was an avid sports fan, following the Iowa Hawkeyes, Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Twins, as well as all the local high school sports. In her child raising years she maintained a big vegetable garden for many years. She was especially proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Even though she had many health issues throughout the past several years she remained living in her home in Ashton. On May 17, 2015 she was admitted into Osceola Community Hospital, where she remained until her death this past Saturday, May 23, 2015. She is survived by her four children, Robert Houwen, Kathleen "Casey" (husband Dan) Hector, both of Wilmont, MN, Julie (husband Tony) Burchill of Fulda, MN and Laura (husband Dean) Honken of Lismore, MN; eight grandchildren, Jessica (husband Jose) Zuniga, Brady (wife Sara) Hector, Michael Houwen, Tyler Honken, Breanna Burchill, Jordan Honken, Brock Burchill and Owen Honken; four great-grandchildren, Shaelly, Malyah, Metzly and Manuel Zuniga; one brother, Richard (wife Georgia) Klein of Clermont, IA; two sisters, Angela Dummett of Britt, IA and Sylvia (husband Ed) Blocker of Bancroft, IA; and many nieces, nephews and other extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Theodore and Mary Klein; her husband of twenty-two years, William Houwen; six brothers, Andy, Edwin, Sylvester, Marvin, Leo and Louis Klein.