Houston Chronicle Sunday

ETHEL M. KREGEL

1931-2021

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Ethel M. Kregel of Houston TX, age 89, died on Tuesday, August 24, 2021, at her home with family at the Village at Gleannloch Farms, a retirement Community in Spring, TX.

Ethel was born in Pequot Lakes, Minn. above the blacksmith shop, on September 11, 1931, 6th of 7 children to Edward and Helga (Johnson) Hauge. She grew up on a small dairy farm in Ideal Township, baptized & confirmed at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Pequot Lakes, graduating from Pequot Lakes High School in 1949 with a class size of 29 students. After high school, Ethel moved to Minneapoli­s, Minn., completed course work in office management at the Minnesota School of Business and worked a few years for the Home Ins. Co. of New York and the Montana Dakota Utilities Co. She then took a job in Japan in 1955 as a civilian employee of the US Army, Tokyo Ordnance Depot, with her good friend Ann (Korpi) Wilson through 1957. It was in Japan at the Lutheran Services Center located in Tokyo, through Bernita Kurzweg, she met her future husband of 62 years, Richard G. Kregel.

Richard moved on to Saigon, South Vietnam and Ethel moved back to the states to be employed by Northwest Orient Airlines as a stewardess based out of Seattle, Washington. On September 28, 1958 Richard and Ethel where married at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Pequot Lakes, Minn. Together they returned to Saigon, left in 1961, and went on to share their life with 4 children in several cities including Minneapoli­s MN, Bloomingto­n, MN, Fargo ND, Golden Valley MN, Columbus OH, Naperville IL, St. Louis MO, Trumbull CT, and Houston TX following Richards career at Texaco.

Ethel was an active member of Kinsmen Lutheran Church in Houston for over 40 years. She spent a great deal of time volunteeri­ng in the church library with her good friend Marian Bussman. She was a beloved wife, loving mother, grandmothe­r, and friend to all. Proud of her Norwegian heritage, she loved the Norwegian dish of Lutefisk and Lefsa at Christmas.

She was thrilled to have traveled all over the world with her husband Richard in retirement and loved playing bridge with so many of her good friends throughout life. Her enjoyment creating quilts and needle point remain a testament to her artistic talent and skill. She had a love of reading, a gift from her mother.

Ethel was preceded in death by her parents Ed and Helga Hauge; brothers, Orville, Donald, George, and Marvin; and her youngest son Jay in August of 2011. Survivors include: her husband, Richard G. Kregel; daughter, Joan (Rick) Fleischer of Charlotte, NC; sons, Jeffrey of Houston and Jon (Shelli) of Austin; grandchild­ren, Elizabeth Fleischer, Christina Fleischer, Daniel Kregel; sisters, Marlys Ratliff of Dayton, OH and Anna Marie Goana of Cedar, MN.

She lived a wonderful life and will be missed by her family and friends, moving on with Christ in hand.

Ethel will be interned on August 31st at the Houston National Cemetery in a private family gathering. A Memorial Service will be held September 11th, 11:00 AM at Kinsmen Lutheran Church, 12100 Champion Forest Drive, Houston, TX 77066 with Pastor Beth Warpmaeker officiatin­g.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Kinsmen Lutheran Church Library in the name of Ethel M. Kregel.

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