Kenneth Roy Houle

July 25, 1928 - May 15, 2018

Kenneth Roy Houle passed away peacefully surrounded by his family.

Ken was born in Forest Lake, Minnesota to Marguerite and Roy Houle. He grew up on the family farm and attended Forest Lake High where he received a sports scholarship to St Thomas College in St Paul, Minn. After graduating, he met and married Ilene Christensen of Forest Lake. Ken got his first teaching job in Grand Forks, North Dakota and soon after he and Ilene welcomed their first two children, Ronald (married Barbara) and Kathleen (Richard Maddox).

In 1954 Ken and Ilene packed up the Studebaker and moved west to Ceres, CA for a new teaching opportunity. Their next son, Gregory (Melinda) arrived and soon after the growing family settled in San Mateo. There, Ken would start a lengthy and influential career at Serra High School. Over the course of 35 years, he would serve as a teacher, Vice Principal, Varsity Baseball Coach for 20 years, Athletic Director and eventually as the Business Director and Facilities Manager. Ken was a mentor to many students and notable athletes over the years and took pride in several league titles in his prominent coaching career. He was instrumental in establishing the WCAL league and upon his retirement in 1990, the Serra High School Athletic complex was named in his honor.

During those years, Ken and Ilene had four more daughters, Cynthia (Albert Ochoa), Claudia (David Brown), Theresa (Paco Ruiz) and Maurene. His seven children married and produced 13 grandchildren. After Ken’s retirement, he and Ilene moved to Meadow Vista, CA.where they enjoyed their expanding family and their cabin at Donner Lake. Ilene passed away in 1994. His family continued to grace him with 15 great grandchildren.

Ken, a devout Catholic dedicated his retirement years to several local charities. He remarried Lucille Nicolai in 2006 and moved to Folsom, CA near her son Joe Nicolai and family.

Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 23rd at St John the Baptist Church in Folsom, CA. Internment at Calvary Catholic Cemetery.