Jay R. Houchin

Jay Ryan Houchin was born on June 27, 1977 in York, NE, to Wayne Jr. and Joy Houchin. He was the second of four children. He passed away October 17, 2012, at the age of 35. Jay attended Bruning Public School and graduated with the Class of 1996. He attended Southeast Community College in Milford, NE, where he received his degree in welding in 1998. Jay was baptized on September of 1977, confirmed in May of 1992, and a member of Trinity Lutheran Church of Bruning. During high school, Jay spent his summers working for Titus, Tom and Mark Swartzendruber of Shickley, NE. He also did an apprenticeship with Geneva Welding of Geneva, NE. After graduating from SCC, he began working for Bill and Karl Brinkman of Strang, NE. Jay was a member of the Thayer County Feeders, a proud member of the Ohiowa Volunteer Fire Department. He also served as the mayor of Strang and was a member of the Town Board. Jay spent endless hours helping his grandfather, father and his uncle Bruce with anything from feeding cattle to harvesting crops. Jay lived life to the fullest. He was always a phone call away to help anyone out, whether it be welding fences, construction projects, hauling hay, burying time capsules or moving his sisters, brother and friends. Jay loved fishing, hunting and anything else he could do outdoors. He was a big teddy bear to several of the small children and his niece and nephew and was honored to be a Godparent. His greatest love was farming. Jay is survived by his parents, Wayne Jr. and Joy Houchin; sister Jennifer and brother-in-law Scott Wragge of Omaha, NE; brother Jesse and sister-in-law Melissa Houchin of Bruning, NE; sister Jeanne Houchin of Omaha, NE; niece and nephew Brooklyn and Joseph Wragge; Grandmothers Delma Houchin of Bruning, NE and Virginia Hodge of York, NE; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and a host of friends. Jay is preceded in death by grandfather Wayne Houchin Sr, Grandfather Charles Lindersmith and cousin Carrie Koves. Services for Jay will be Monday, October 22, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Bruning, Nebraska. Public visitation will begin Sunday at 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Farmer & Son Funeral Home in Geneva, Nebraska. Burial will be in the Harmony Cemetery rural, Strang, Nebraska. Memorials are to the Harmony Cemetery.

Tributes

Jay R. Houchin

June 27, 1977 - October 18, 2012