By Chris Chesky/Murphy News Service
Family and friends joined on a sunny spring afternoon Sunday to celebrate the life of University of Minnesota student Jennifer Houle, whose recent disappearance and death galvanized the U community for days.
Houle was pronounced dead April 2 after her body was found in the Mississippi River. She had gone missing after being last seen in a Dinkytown bar and grill early on the morning of of March 27. She was 22.
“This has been an extremely painful time for our family over these last couple of weeks,” John Houle, Houle’s father, told the 300 or so people gathered in the Northrop Auditorium on the U campus.
“Today we’re here to celebrate Jennifer’s life,” Houle said. “And what a life it was.
“Jennifer was an amazing person who touched many lives and we hope to remember her through the stories, photographs and songs we will share,” her father added.
Other speakers talked of their experiences with Houle, including a group of friends from Stillwater High School, her high school volleyball coach, a friend from the U Pi Beta Phi sorority chapter, her two brothers, Dan and Mark, and her parents, John and Diane.
Their memories included great times spent with Houle, her love of travel, her belief that family was important, how she was always there for her friends in their times of need and her plans for the future.
“Jennifer had so many plans,” her mom Diane Houle said. “She and I had just gone to Grad Fest at the U where she picked up her cap and gown and tassel. We were planning her graduation celebration and her trip to Peru’s Machu Picchu.
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“She was looking forward to spending many summer days in our newly remodeled cabin,” Diane Houle continued. “She was signed up for her CPA exams and was getting set up for her new job in September. I am so sad to know these plans won’t happen now.”
John Houle announced that Houle had been diagnosed with depression in January. He said that he spoke with her a couple of times that day and he said she expressed excitement about her plans that evening of March 26 and her upcoming weekend trip to Duluth with r friends from Stillwater.
“Jennifer had an illness that is hard for us to understand,” John Houle said. “She loved us so much, was compassionate and would never do anything to hurt us, yet this illness overcame her so quickly, literally in a matter of a few hours. We know the events of the evening, but we will never know what happened to her in such a short period of time or why.”
Houle’s funeral will be Monday, April 13, at the Guardian Angels Catholic Church, 8260 4th St N., Oakdale, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the Houle family has asked that donations be made to the Jennifer Houle Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Wells Fargo Bank.
Reporter Chris Chesky is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.