J. A. Abe Houston

Obituary for John Albert Abe Houston A funeral service for John Albert Abe Houston, who died on March 19, 2002 will be held on Monday, March 25, at 11:30 AM at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey, 6101 Bosque Blvd. The service will be conducted by Ann Pennington, Protestant chaplain at Regis/St. Elizabeth. Burial will take place at Waco Memorial Park. Visitation with the family will be 6:30-8:00P.M. at the funeral home. Abe Houston was born February 10, 1912, at Caldwell, Texas, the son of John Butler Houston and Kate Mae Moorman Houston. He was reared in Caldwell and graduated from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos with BS and MA degrees. While in college he lettered three years in football and two years in basketball. He was captain of the football team his senior year and was All Lone Star Conference center in both his junior and senior years. He received the SWTSU Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1981, and in 1988 he was inducted into the Lettermen’s Hall of Honor. He served in the U. S. Air Force in World War II from 1942 until his discharge as a captain in 1946, and he was a member of American Legion Post No. 121. He coached high school football in Carrizo Springs, Eagle Pass, and Brownwood; and in 1952 he became assistant sales manager for W. A. Holt Co. He was Personnel Director for the City of Waco from 1958 until his retirement in 1977. He served as president of SWTSU Alumni Association, Texas High School Coaches Association, Waco Founders Lions Club, Library Friends, and Woodland Springs Home for Senior Citizens. While serving as District Governor of District 2-X3 of Lions International, he organized five new Lions Clubs. He served as a member of the boards of directors of Texas Municipal League, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Freeman House. He chaired the Firemen’s and Policemen’s Civil Service Commission, Area Aging Advisory Council, and Lighthouse for the Blind. He was a member of the Institutional Review Committee of Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center. He was a member of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church; Lockwood Lodge No. 1343; Brownwood Council No. 86, R. S. Brownwood Chapter No. 141, R. A. M.; and Brownwood Commandery No. 22, Knights Templar. He married Charlotte Helen Nesbitt of San Marcos in 1935, and she predeceased him in 1995. He is survived by two sons, Patrick Houston and wife Sue of Doylestown, PA, and John Houston and wife Judy of Independence, KS; five granddaughters, Stacia Houston of Portland, OR, Ashley Houston of Stockholm, Sweden, Kara Houston of Gaithersburg, MD, Meredith King and husband Kendall of Stillwater, OK, and Hilary Casillas and husband Christopher of Colchester, VT; and a great-grandson, Quinn Houston Casillas. The family suggests memorials to the Waco Founder Lions Club Abe Houston Scholarship Fund, 1716 N. 42nd Street, Waco, TX 76710. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY