Yvonne J. Houle

Yvonne J. Houle, 96, of Manchester, died on December 30, 2023, at Mt. Carmel Nursing Home, surrounded by her loving family.

Yvonne was born in St. Boniface, Quebec, Canada on February 11, 1927, and was the last surviving sibling of ten children.  She was educated in Canada, where she graduated from high school before moving to the United States.  Upon her coming to the U.S., she worked as a nanny.  She then met the love of her life, Paul E. Houle and together raised their family in Goffstown.  Yvonne was a very proud and loving homemaker. 

Together, she and Paul volunteered their time for many functions with the Richelieu Club.  Every year they would help organize a Christmas party for the boys at the Pine Haven Boys Center in Allenstown, where they would have lots of goodies and gifts for each boy.  After the party, Yvonne would start knitting mittens to be sure that each of the boys had a pair the following year.  She was also a volunteer at Hillsborough County Nursing Home for many years, and a longtime, active member of St. Edmond’s Church.

If you look up the word “Memere” in the dictionary, you are sure to find Yvonne’s picture there!  She was so proud of her family and she was everyone’s Memere.  Her love language was cooking for others.  She hosted the best parties and holiday gatherings, decorating and cooking endlessly to be sure everything was just right.  During the holidays she would make gingerbread cookies with her granddaughters and friends and no matter how messy the kitchen was afterward, she was overjoyed to have everyone all together, laughing, and making memories.  Above all else, Yvonne will be remembered as a woman of faith, and a wonderful, loving, and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.

Her favorite thing to say was “Love you, love you, my little Angel” - and she meant it.  She loved everyone.  Even in her last few days, she would repeat that over and over to her loved ones. 1 Corinthians 13:13 says “These three things remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love”. Yvonne’s life was a testament to this.

Yvonne was predeceased by her beloved husband of 62 years, Paul E. Houle in 2011.
Surviving family members include her two daughters, Denise Marden and husband Robert of Hooksett and Claudette Kettinger and husband Richard of Maine; one son, Michael Houle of Goffstown; five grandchildren, Heidi Kettinger-Roy and husband Keith of Maine, Alyssa Miller and husband Brian of Raymond, Amelia Afolayan and husband Tobi of Massachusetts, Zelda Marie of Goffstown, and Amy Considine of Florida; and six great grandchildren, Gabriel Afolayan, Leon and Jacob Miller, Wyatt Roy, and Star and Phoenix Considine.

SERVICES:  There are no calling hours.  A Funeral Service will take place at 10:30am on Thursday, January 4, in the chapel of Mt. Carmel Nursing Home, 234 Myrtle St., Manchester, NH 03104.  Burial to follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, 474 Goffstown Rd., Manchester, NH 03102.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to either Pine Haven Foundation, 133 River Rd., PO Box 162, Allenstown, NH 03275 or to NH Food Bank, 700 Industrial Park Dr., Manchester, NH 03109.  To leave a message of condolence, please go to www.lambertfuneralhome.com.