Virgil Houff

Madison – Virgil Houff, age 96, passed away on April 14, 2022, at the V.A. Hospital in Madison.  Virgil was born on August 14, 1925, in Austin, Minnesota to Joseph and Aletta (Rice) Houff.  He was the ninth of ten children.  When Virgil was one-year old his sisters dressed him as a girl and entered him in a baby contest.  He won as a pretty young girl.  Virgil was always proud to be a survivor of the great depression.  His family lived in a dirt floor garage and he claims if it wasn’t for George Wong at the Canton Café, they might have starved.  Every day at closing time he and his brothers would take a bucket to the café to get the leftover soup.  During the depression, many young men like Virgil excelled in school sports because it was a great outlet.  Virgil won six varsity letters at Austin High in football, wrestling and tennis.  He was on the very first wrestling team at Austin High.  Like many young men of that era, he left school early during his junior year to serve in the US Navy because of the Second World War.  His four brothers also left for the Navy, and all served in the South Pacific.  His youngest brother Clayton died during the Battle of Saipan.  In the Navy, he graduated from Austin High School.

After the war ended, Virgil was discharged and moved to Minneapolis Minnesota to live with his sister Hazel and attend and graduate from MacPhail College.  He moved back to Austin Minnesota and worked for JC Penney as a buyer of boys clothing.  After moving home, he met and later married Shirley Teepell.  Shirley and Virgil had six children: Larry, Richard, Robert, Michael, Lonnie and Bill.  Virgil and Shirley divorced in 1966 and he relocated to Madison Wisconsin, in a move that changed his life forever.  He began a thirty-year career at the State of Wisconsin and retired in 1996.  But during that time-frame he became active in many organizations.  He is a member of the Elks, the American Legion and the VFW, where he served as Post Surgeon.  He became interested in the Masonic Order and achieved the 32nd degree.  His greatest pride was serving in the Shriners.  He recently celebrated 50 years in the Shrine and the Blue Lodge.  He joined the Pipes and Drums unit playing the tenor drum.  Virgil won eight world championships as a drummer, his last coming when he was 89 years old.  He was also the Imperial President.

Virgil was preceded in death by his parents; brothers; sisters; and his youngest son Bill.  He is survived by sons, Larry (Sharon), Richard, Robert, Michael and Lonnie.  He is also survived by granddaughters Nicole (Kip Reinwand) Houff, Angela (Ryan) Nelson and Melanie (Joe) Burgoyne; grandsons Richard Houff, Joseph (Lee) Houff and Matthew Houff.  He has two great grandsons, Miles Nelson and Xander Houff.

In lieu of flowers, Virgil had hoped all memorials be directed to the Shriners Children Hospital.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 5700 Pheasant Hill Rd., Monona, Wisconsin, with Rev. Elisa Brandt presiding.  A time of gathering will be from 10:00 am until the time of service on Wednesday at Church.

Cress Funeral Service

3610 Speedway Rd.

Madison, WI 53705

608-238-3434