Lillian Coral (Hutchison) Van Houten, age 82 of Prior Lake, passed away on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 surrounded by her family, at St. Francis Regional Medical Center, Shakopee, Minnesota. A Celebration of Life Service is Monday, October 19, 2015 at 11:00AM at Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Lakeville, Minnesota. The Reverend Mike Shields will preside. Lillian will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
On February 1, 1933, Bob and Adelma (Mathews) Hutchison celebrated the birth of their baby girl, Lillian Coral. She was born in Maysville, Kentucky and grew up with her siblings Bobby and Phil, Lillian’s twin sister Caroline died in infancy and Phil’s twin brother died at age 2.
She was a graduate of Maysville High School. She then attended Miami of Ohio in Oxford, Ohio where she met her future husband, Stephen Van Houten. They were married on December 26, 1955 in Maysville, KY. They raised four daughters: Janice, Susan, Deborah and Cindy. In 1969 the family moved to Minneapolis and eventually took up permanent residence in Prior Lake in 1978. Stephen died 9 years later on May 8, 1987 at age 54.
As a family they went camping, fishing and traveling to visit relatives. Stephen and Lillian, as a couple, enjoyed playing bridge, dinner club, travel and their annual fishing trip with dear friends to Turtle Lake in Canada.
Lillian had many interests throughout her life. She was a great cook; her girls loved her vanilla fudge and nobody made better fried chicken. She also enjoyed gardening, reading, Bible Study and volunteering in all of her children’s activities. Lillian was a family caregiver, kind, protective, welcoming and hospitable to all her knew her. She did like her Minnesota Twins through thick and thin. Although Lillian had many interests, she was most passionate about her family, especially her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved spending time with her family and it was important to her that they were happy and well cared for.
Lillian will be deeply missed by her children, Janice (Doug) Proctor, Maple Grove, Susan Johnson, Prior Lake, Deborah (Mike) Dingman, Prior Lake and Cindy Budd, Prior Lake; grandchildren, Jenna (Noel), Cory, Molly (Paul), Aaron, Nathan, Rachel, Matthew and Sarah; great grandchildren, Morgan and Cole; brothers, Bobby (Lisa) Hutchison, Maysville, Kentucky, Phil (Judy) Hutchison, St. Louis, Missouri and her precious pets, Stella, Gus and Pug.
There to welcome Lillian home in heaven is her beloved husband, Stephen; sister, Caroline; brother, Paul, parents Bob and Adelma Hutchison, and son-in-law, Peter Budd.
