Obituary of John Houghtaling

John Houghtaling, age 83, of Pearland, passed away on November 15, 2009. He is preceded in death by his parents, William & Fara (Hudson) Houghtaling. He is survived by his wife, Mavis Houghtaling; son, Joe Houghtaling & his wife Deborah; daughter, Nan Tatum & her husband Steve; grandchildren, Josh T. & his wife Dmel, Holly Robinson & her husband Oliver, Sarah Cherry & her husband Bryan, Bonnie Lindley & her husband Hamilton, Paul H. & his wife Ann, & Rachel Sides & her husband Rob; and great-grandchildren, Luke, Caleb, Benjamin, Sam, David, James, Andrew, Lorna, & Joseph. John was born on May 11, 1926 in Battle Creek Michigan, the youngest of four children. His father was a successful businessman who also served as mayor of Battle Creek and John carried on his interest in politics. After graduation from high school, John entered the U.S. Army Engineering Corp and served overseas during World War II in the Pacific Theater. After being discharged from the Army, John entered Western Michigan University where he earned a degree in Psychology. He then moved to Houston were he held a variety of jobs, from owning a hotel in Spring, Texas to selling everything from real estate to vacuum cleaners at Sears. He loved the “Art of the Deal”. John’s musical inclinations drew him to the guitar and harmonica. He enjoyed listening to the radio or going to the library. John was a people person who never met a stranger and loved to sit down and share a meal with family or friends. He always shared his sense of humor and made sure everyone was having and good time. John was a Christian who loved the Lord and enjoyed sharing his testimony with those around him. He was a strong prayer warrior who spent much of his time praying for or with others. John and Mavis met at a dance in 1999 and married in 2001. Visitation for John will be held on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at Clayton Funeral Home. A Funeral Service will begin at 11:00 am officiated by Pastor John Butler.