John "Jack" Hougaard

On January 6, 2026, John “Jack” Louis Hougaard passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 93. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Jack lived a long life defined by service, craftsmanship, curiosity, and deep love for family and the outdoors.

Jack was born on July 14, 1932, in Manti, Utah, to Florence Margaret Christensen and Louis Hansen Hougaard. He grew up alongside his older siblings, Elizabeth LuDean Cox and Giles Thomas Hougaard, spending his youth hunting, fishing, and working on the family farm with his younger siblings Harold “Ted” Hougaard and LaRue Nielsen. On September 12, 1952, he married his childhood sweetheart, Wilma Tuttle, for time and all eternity in the Manti Temple. Their partnership would span more than seven decades.

After attending Snow College, Jack continued his education at Utah State University, where he earned a degree in Forestry. During those years, he and Wilma welcomed their first child, Kathy Hougaard Lively. Jack’s professional calling with the U.S. Forest Service became the organizing thread of family life, taking them across the Intermountain West and beyond. From Manti, Monticello, and Moab, Utah, to Buhl, Gooding, Salmon, and the remote Shake Creek Ranger Station in Idaho, each posting brought new landscapes, friendships, and stories. Jack later earned a master’s degree at the University of Michigan, which later led them to Ogden, Utah, before they ultimately settled in Twin Falls, Idaho. Along the way, four more children joined the family: Ethylen (Brad) Perkins, Halbert Louis (Becky) Hougaard, Michael John (Victoria) Hougaard, and Mark T. (Stephanie) Hougaard.

Jack devoted his career to stewarding public lands, a responsibility he carried with quiet pride and seriousness of purpose. Outside of work, he was an accomplished woodworker, a devoted gardener, and a lifelong lover of music. Square dancing, time spent in the mountains, and working with his hands were not hobbies so much as expressions of who he was. After retiring from the Forest Service, Jack and Wilma continued their shared love of exploration, traveling extensively through Europe, Africa, and Canada. Yet some of their most cherished memories were closer to home—horseback rides in the South Hills or navigating the red rock trails of the Moab Canyonlands by Jeep.

A lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jack served faithfully in many capacities, including several times as a Bishop and in Stake Presidencies.

Jack was blessed with a large and loving family, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Wilma, his parents, all of his siblings except LaRue Nielsen, and three cherished grandchildren. He is survived by all of his children.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the staff of Avista Assisted Living, Serenity Transitional Care, and Idaho Home Health & Hospice for the compassion and dignity shown to Jack.

There will be a graveside service honoring Jack on Saturday, January 10, 2026, starting at 11:00 am, held at Manti City Cemetery, 750 N. 100 E., Manti, UT 84642 - Funeral Directors Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina, and Manti

Funeral Directors of Idaho: White-Reynolds Funeral Home