The farm also had goats, horses, a large gardens and dogs.Įric divorced in 1992. The family raised registered Shorthorn cattle that they showed for several years at the Montana Winter Fair. The acreage was an awesome place to raise his daughters, who all enjoyed fly fishing and hunting white tail deer with him. In time, he and his family moved to acreage on the Gallatin River where he built his dream home with beautiful fireplaces, tile floors, rock exterior and passive solar features. Local icons that he worked on are: Owenhouse Ace Hardware downtown, Car wash on East Main St., and the Big Sky Bank at the turn to Big Sky. He and his daughters camped there and the girls were mason tenders and carried buckets of water and rock from the creek to the job site, as a summer job. Among many memorable projects, he built a fireplace for Charles Kuralt near Dillon. The fireplaces that he built will be a forever monument in the 100’s of homes around the Gallatin Valley and Big Sky. His brother Keith, worked with him in those first years in Montana, and then later his nephew Aaron, spent a summer laying 1000’s of bricks on the Merganthaler building on 19th in Bozeman. They sold the Boulder home and moved to Gallatin Gateway in 1977, where he moved his masonry business. He saw the Gallatin Valley as un-crowded and open like Boulder used to be. When visiting Montana on a vacation, Eric bought acreage. As they thawed, we ate! Yum! White wonder bread!!” Eric was working on a condo in Vail, and we all went there to ski! We had a big station wagon, but 8 of us were stuffed in that car! Someone had to be in the way back sleeping! Mother made a big box of pb& j sandwiches and froze them. In Boulder, he worked as an estimator for Flatirons Precast, and then started his own masonry business where he laid thousands of bricks on the building of the CU campus and many storefronts when the city was first creating the Pearl Mall Street in downtown Boulder.Įric’s sister Jean remembers, “ that Howard and Carol put the remaining kids in the station wagon, including the dog, with skis on top, and drove to Boulder to visit in 1967. The family loved hiking, camping and skiing in the Colorado Mountains. When daughter Jodi was born, the corvette was traded for a 1964 International TravelAll, the ‘Family Van’ of the 60’s. The newly married couple settled in Boulder, where he decided that the West was his landscape in which to raise a family, build a home, and have adventures. He enjoyed camping with their entire family at Peninsula State Park.”Įric married Ceily in 1964 and drove the Corvette to Boulder, Colorado to visit his Aunt. She remembers him as a hard-working, dedicated businessman.

She thought he was very handsome, fun person, and she enjoyed the exciting rides in his cars. His sister Ann, commented that, “Eric was a wonderful, thoughtful, and caring brother. It was “all season” and he carefully drove it year round. It was red and had white inserts on the sides, and came with a hard and a soft top. He owned several, including a TR3 MG Alpha Romeo a Corvair (a short timer- not really sporty enough) and lastly, his pride and joy, a 1962 Corvette. Eric attended many home games and through the decades was an avid fan.Īs a young man, Eric loved to drive sports cars. He attended the 1967 ‘Ice Bowl’ with his father, Howard, and sister, Mary when the Packers defeated the Cowboys. As a 14-year-old boy he helped insert the bolts into the new stadium seats and was very proud to have been a part of the building of the “Original” stadium.

Hougard & Sons built Lambeau Field in 1957, home to the Green Bay Packers. Hougaard, from Denmark Europe, who was the first brick mason in Suring, Wisconsin. He is a descendent of his great grandfather, John T. After high school, he entered his apprenticeship as a mason with the family construction company, George M. He graduated from Premontre Catholic High School in 1961. His first 8 years were spent at Saint Patrick’s Catholic grade school. He is the oldest son of a family of seven children.Įric attended school in Green Bay.

He had a wonderful few days just before, visiting with many friends in Bozeman and Gateway – a burst of energy and feeling well, laughing while getting stuck in the snowdrifts.Įric was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin to Howard and Carol Hougard in 1943. On Saturday, January 27th he had a massive stroke, and never recovered. His passing was quiet and peaceful surrounded by his three daughters, his good friend David Peters and a Chaplin. Eric Hougard, passed away shortly after midnight on Sunday morning, January 28, 2018.

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