John Papa R Houston

John was born on the prairies of Manitoba just outside of present day Winnipeg in the municipality of St. James. He was raised in an early prairie house with no water or electricity and remembers walking across the prairie and seeing lights for the first time. He had marvelous happy memories with his large loving family and his dearest childhood friend Jackie.

He shared incredible stories of the tales of Jackie and John, from working on the McKendry dairy farm, Mr. Pages pig farm and attending the one room school house miles from their home.

John served in the Canadian Army Signal Corps and was a top radio operator during WWII.

After the war in the 1940’s he traveled through the Manitoba Province working as a Wurlitzer juke box repairman and that’s how he met his wife Mary. She owned a tiny sandwich shop, Le Chateau, in Winnipeg and had to have a jukebox repaired. They wed in 1954 and came to Beverly Hills sponsored by Mary’s sister and husband, Carrie and George Stubbs.

John had started working in the wholesale grocery business prior to leaving Canada and continued in California with Thrifty Mart/Smart & Final in Oxnard as an Assistant Manager. They drove on the two lane highway up the PCH and made Ventura their home. He shortly thereafter was offered the Manager position at Smart & Final on the Ventura Avenue and took the store from last in the chain of 90 stores to number one within three years. He retired in 1978 after thirty years in management with Smart & Final.

John learned Spanish from his friendly patrons and took time to walk the neighborhood to promote his business and learn their needs. This is how he came to meet and develop a lifetime of dear friendship with Trini & Angie Vasquez.

One of John's favorite memories was the trip to Mexico City he and Mary took with the Vasquez' where they met Trini's family. John took great pride in sharing he had been 'adopted' as an honorary Vasquez and cherished the loving relationship Michael Vasquez (son) fostered throughout his life.

He and his wife took great pride in the production and perfect appearance of their store and when upper management came for a visit they were so impressed Mary was put on the payroll.

His other passion was gardening. John always had a meticulous home, gardens, fruit trees, roses and had over 90 orchids at any one time. John continued this until he lost his eyesight in his early 90’s. He was determined to always stay in great physical health, his exercise routine included much walking, golf and was health conscience before it was the trend.

John and Mary had a glorious marriage of 37 years and were dearly devoted to each other. They worked and traveled annually by car to Canada to visit family and friends. John wrote a poem about his life in Manitoba:

A Year in Manitoba

The sun grows warmer as the winter goes,

Soon the grass peeks thru the snow.

How good it is to see at last,

After winters long icy blast.

Soon a robin will appear

He announces spring every year.

Then a meadowlarks song will ring

A joyous sound heard every spring.

How great it is to romp and play

On grass that’s green every day.

Soon the snow will all be gone.

The days will warm and grow more long.

Water in the meadow will lay.

Inviting children to come and play.

To test their boots and see how deep,

They can wade and keep dry feet.

Soon the blessed summer comes,

The birds will sing- - bees will hum.

Barefoot weather is now here.

This is the happiest time of the year.

After such a short, short time,

Summer is gone- - school bells chime.

The days grow shorter day by day,

And colder too - - Winters on his way.

The wild geese pass in endless flight,

Honking their way - - day and night.

Pretty soon the snow will fall,

And winter, once again, spreads its pall.

Then comes the Christmas,

Our hearts will sing - -

Then once again,

We’ll look for spring.

John’s lifelong interest were golf and he helped set up his grandson Bob Jr. in his Newbury Park store, Bogy Bob’s Discount Golf. He was an avid golfer his entire life and through his travels with the two loves of his life, Mary Houston and Doris Joice Houston, he loved playing the local courses here in Ventura County, Hawaii and his home country of Canada.

Doris is a blessing who came into John’s life after Mary’s passing in 1988 and they enjoyed many years of fabulous golf, road trips to Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Canada and their favorite -cruising the world. They celebrated their love for each other and family; their passions for history, travel and golf as they cruised the Panama Canal, Hawaiian Islands, the Mediterranean and a land tour of the British Isles.

John resided at the Bonaventure Senior Living Home for the past 5 ½ years and made many friends there- Virginia, Helen, Cathy, Sally Rogers, George, Joe, Nils- to name a few. You brought comfort, joy and friendship to John and he loved you for it.

Our family extends our deepest love and gratitude to John’s caregivers- companions of the past six months of his life who gave John their loving attention and friendship and who prayed with him daily: Michael Vasquez, Ventura; Pia Walcott, Ventura; Frances Wilder, Oxnard; and Rosy Zapata, Ventura, who was also his angel seeing him through his final days and hour.

Throughout his life, John attended Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in Ventura and prayed every night for the past six months in preparation for his passing:

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

We give thanks to our Almighty God who granted our dearest “Papa” a peaceful, glorious transition to heaven surrounded by family at home.

We also want to thank Drs. Robert Bernstein, John Handley, Gregorio Ruelas, Douglas Wilkenson, Edward Banman and Buena Vista Hospice of the Conejo Valley for their outstanding compassionate care of our beloved John. He spoke so highly of all of you and truly appreciated everything you did for him for so many years.

John was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Houston; son, Frank N. Houston who passed away in 1992; and all of John’s siblings, Winnifred, Sydney, Margaret, Patricia, Charles and Mary.

He is survived by his wife, Doris; daughter, H. Carole Cassie (Gordon) of Lantzville, British Columbia, Canada; step-son, Robert J. “Bob” Bayer (Cindy) of Ventura; granddaughters, Susan C. Bobb (Bryan) of Minneapolis, MN, Jennifer E. Wotton (Chris) of Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada, Julie Goneau (John) Of Thornton, CO, Barbara Bayer Coulter (Tom) of Ventura; grandson, Robert G. “Bob” Bayer of Newbury Park; great grandchildren, Amanda McNichol and Rachel Bobb, Jordan and Caitlin Catudal, Caleb, Carter and Connor Wotton, Jessica Scott (Glenn), Matt, Carley and Grace Coulter, Sean , Cody and Ryan Bayer; nieces Judy Edwards (Gary) of Winnipeg, MB, Canada and Bev Eert (Will) of Treherne, MB, Canada; and Brother-in-law, Doug Holden of Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

A rosary for John, taking place at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, will be held on Monday, January 28, 2013 at 7:00 P.M. Burial at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park will take place on a later date.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home and Crematory, 3150 Loma Vista Rd., Ventura.