Paul Eugene Dale Hough, Sept. 25, 1942-Sept. 11, 2024
Paul Eugene Dale Hough was born at his family home on Sept, 25, 1942, in Pontiac, Illinois. He was the fifth of eight children born to Louis and Pauline Hough.
Yearning to own a farm to provide for his growing family, Louis found an advertisement for a farm for sale in a magazine and relocated his family to Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Paul was just five years old when they made the move.
Paul’s two oldest siblings, Louis Jr. and Janie, stayed behind in Illinois. Both had finished high school, married, and begun families of their own.
Farm life was not easy-it required early mornings, long days, and hard work. Growing up with modest means, Paul learned to value the things he worked hard for.
One of Paul’s fondest memories was asking his father for a 10-speed bicycle. His father told him if he wanted the bicycle, he’d need to raise and sell a cow to afford it. Determined, Paul did just that. Later, he used the same method to save up for his first car.
Paul graduated from high school in 1960. Though raised on the farm, he decided farm life wasn’t for him. Inspired to chart his own path, like his father before him, Paul enlisted in the United States Air Force in January 1961. He completed basic training and tech school in Texas before being stationed overseas.
Paul served two years in Japan with a brief stint in Korea and completed his service at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
While stationed in Japan, Paul noticed a photo of a beautiful young woman – a picture of his friend and fellow airman William (Bill) Lucas’s family. The young woman was Bill’s sister, Marjorie. Smitten, Paul declared to Bill that he was going to marry her and began writing to her.
After returning to the U.S., Paul was stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base and arranged to meet Marjorie in person in the fall of 1963 while she was staying with her Aunt Muriel in California and attending junior college. After their first meeting, Paul visited her a few more times. By the end of Christmas week in 1963, when Marjorie’s family came to visit her in California, Paul and Marjorie were engaged. They married in March 1964.
Paul was honorably discharged from the Air Force in Jan. 1965. He and his new bride settled in Portland, Oregon, to be near Marjorie’s family. Together, they started a family, welcoming their son Jeffery Paul in 1967 and their daughter Lisa Marie in 1970.
Paul worked at Precision Castparts for seven years before spending 15 years as a warehouseman for a grocery distributor. Later, he transitioned to installing replacement doors and windows, a job he held until his retirement.
A master woodworker, Paul specialized in crafting toys, boxes, and sleighs, which he lovingly shared with family and friends. He took great joy in both the process of creating and the reactions of those who received his creations.
Paul was also a skilled handyman with an impressive collection of tools, many of which he had owned for more than 40 years. He meticulously cared for everything he owned, a habit instilled in him from growing up with limited resources.
Known for his thriftiness, Paul was always looking for ways to “save a buck.” While driving, he often stopped to pick up empty deposit bottles or cans, enlisting his kids to help. “That’s a nickel!” he’d say with a grin.
Paul cherished time with family and friends. He enjoyed camping, fishing, and simply being together. He and Marjorie were avid square dancers for several years.
Paul had a jovial personality and a gift for conversation. He could strike up a chat with anyone, showing genuine interest in their lives.
In retirement, Paul and Marjorie enjoyed traveling and spending time with their family. He stayed connected to loved ones through phone calls, text messages, and social media. Despite claiming he didn’t understand how his iPhone worked, he had no trouble using apps like Find My Friends and Facebook to keep tabs on his family, thanks to his tech-savvy grandson Andrew.
Paul traveled to Wisconsin annually—and sometimes twice a year—to visit family.
After a long illness, Paul passed away peacefully on the morning of Sept. 11, 2024, just two weeks shy of his 82nd birthday.
Paul was preceded in death by his parents, his older brother Louis, and his younger brother Danny.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Marjorie; his children, Lisa and Jeffery; daughter-in-law Jill; grandson Andrew; grand-dog Rocky; his brother David and sister-in-law Marcella; his four sisters, Janie, Barbara, Donna, and Patty; brother-in-law Dave; and innumerable nieces and nephews.
Paul will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
A Celebration of Life for Paul will be held on Sunday, Dec. 29, from 1-4 p.m. at Bonaventure Senior Living Center, 3411 Boone Rd SE, in Salem.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you bring an empty deposit bottle or can to the celebration. Paul would have appreciated the gesture and the sentiment.
