Mildred Houghton

1915 - 2015

Former Peorian was 100

PEORIA - Mildred Hulsebus Houghton, 100 years old, of Piper Shores, 15 Piper Road, Scarborough, Maine, previously of Sligo Road, Yarmouth, Maine, and formerly of Peoria, died Wednesday evening, Dec. 30, 2015, at Piper Shores.

Mildred Sylvia Hulsebus was born on Oct. 22, 1915, at Methodist Hospital in Peoria, Ill., to William Eno and Anna Neptun Hulsebus, and grew up at 215 Ellis St. in Peoria.

Later in life, she remembered that as a teenager, her favorite song was Irving Berlin's "Always," her favorite film was 1929's "The Desert Song," and her favorite radio program was "Amos 'n' Andy."

She graduated from Peoria Central High School in 1933 and attended Bradley College in Peoria for two years before transferring to Sophie Newcomb College at Tulane University.

She met Raymond Houghton of 100 Maplewood Ave., Peoria, in February 1938 at the home of a mutual friend. He was employed in the experimental laboratory at Caterpillar Tractor. They were married on Sept. 3, 1938, at St. Mark's Catholic Church in Peoria.

During the Second World War, Ray managed a tank factory in Decorah, Iowa.

After the war, they moved to Yarmouth and he became president of Southworth Machine Company. Ray later became a partner in Houghton-Arnold, a Caterpillar Tractor distributor.

They lived for many years on Portland Street before moving to Sligo Road.

Millie was a member of St. Mary's Garden Club, the Portland Junior League, the Fortnightly Club, the Yarmouth Village Improvement Society and the First Parish Congregational Church.

In 1973, at the age of 58, she passed the civil service exam and began a second career at the Social Security Administration.

In retirement, she spent winters in Sanibel, Fla.

Millie was preceded in death by Ray in 1977 and by their son James in 2010.

Surviving are a son, Stephen, of New York City and Santiago, Chile; two daughters-in-law, Nancy and Pauline; four grandchildren, Brock (Shannon) and Nick (Jessica) of Los Angeles, and Stephen and Carlynn (Simon) of New York; and three great-grandchildren, Nina, Olivia and Brock.

A memorial service will be held at First Parish Church in the spring.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Yarmouth Village Improvement Society.