Charles Oscar Houston

Charles Oscar Houston, 89, passed away at his home in Longmont, Colorado on May 13, 2014. The youngest child of Oscar and Helena Johnson Houston, he was born June 26, 1924 in Swink, Otero County, Colorado. As a little boy, he proclaimed himself to have pink hair.

August 1, 1927, the family moved to Pueblo, Colorado as Oscar had accepted a job as a farrier for the Santa Fe Railroad from which he parted in 1929 due to the depression. Helena continued to work as a seamstress and homemaker.

Charles attended Thatcher School kindergarten through the eighth grade and entered Centennial High School in September, 1938. There, he participated proudly on the debate team, Captain his senior year, the team were undefeated champions of the Colorado, Wyoming and Western Nebraska region. Also Director of the National Honor Society, work on the school newspaper, Quill and Scroll and Boys Science Club, he graduated in 1942 and was awarded a joint scholarship and was recognized by the School Board as Boy with the Highest GPA for four years.

September of 1942, Charles entered the University of Colorado at Boulder and signed on with the Naval Reserve that December 5 and served inactive duty July of 1943-1945. Active Duty with the Navy V12 College Training for 96 weeks, his Mid Shipmans Training was at the University of Notre Dame. The Navy determined they did not need those men as Engineers, declassification was at Great Lakes Naval Center in Illinois prior to Troop Training at Pensacola, Florida, Bronson and Corry Naval Auxiliary Air Station. There Chuck gave written Civil Aviator Tests for Commercial Pilot license acquisitions. He was Honorably Discharged from the Separation Center in New Orleans, Louisiana on May 5, 1946 returning to Pueblo to then begin again at the University of Colorado in Boulder for the fall quarter, leaving behind Engineering studies for Arts and Sciences, receiving his BA in June of 1949 followed by Post Graduate work to qualify for his Teaching Certificate during the 1949/50 school year. During that time, Chuck met his future wife, Charlotte Berg as they were both active in the Wesley Foundation Methodist Student Group.

Mr. Houston’s career teaching , for the most part English and Journalism, advising and sponsoring Newspaper and Yearbook endeavors, and coaching track, began at Brighton High School ,in the fall of 1950. July 20, 1952, he and Char were married through the Wesley Foundation in Boulder. Their honeymoon was spent camping in Yellowstone and Glacier National Park and visiting Charlotte’s relatives in Seattle. Returning to Brighton, the new Mrs. Houston was a Pre Primer Instructor for the next two years. 1954 took them to Fort Morgan followed by Charles’ acceptance in 1957 of work in Public Relations as Supervisor of Student Publications and Alumni Secretary at Pueblo Junior College.

A 1956 drive to Alaska was another grand and prideful adventure for them! In 1959/60, Chuck served at Pueblo Central prior to returning to U of C for his Masters study in 60/61 while Charlotte taught Physical Education to some 500 Elementary School children at 5 schools in Westminster prior to the birth of daughter, Julie in August and a move to their home in Longmont and the start of his 27 year tenure with SVVSD as a teacher at LHS. The first three years on Main Street, preceded the move to the Sunset campus, culminated by his retirement in 1988. During that time, sons Steven Charles, Wayne Albert and John Daniel were born. Summers were spent camping with visits to most of the National Parks and Monuments in NM, AZ, UT,CA, OR, ID, MT, WY, SD and TX.

Charles joined the St Vrain Lodge 23 as a Mason in 1963, was Worshipful Master in 1969 and served many years also with the York Rite Masonic Body, Longmont , as Secretary. Active at FUMC, Longmont, Chuck ushered for 45 years and helped to keep the Methodist Men organization going, serving as the only member of that advisory board, without which that might have ceased to exist.

Goaded by Bill Hantleman, Chuck was Volunteer Driver for the OUR Center for both many years and many miles! He also served as the CSPERA Newspaper Editor for 13 years, was active in SVVREA and greatly enjoyed the lunch bunch weekly with some of the “the boys” who were also retired teachers. Continuing in their wanderlust, the couple attended numerous Clerk Association conferences prior to Charlotte’s retirement from her position as Boulder County Clerk and Recorder in 2003; Hawaii, Las Vegas, Washington DC, Nova Scotia, Alaska and England amongst them. Germany, Switzerland, Mexico and Canada as well fed their hunger for experiences, knowledge, beauty, wonderment, LIFE!

Suffering a heart attack on his way to a Masonic meeting, Christmas Day, 2003, Charles received a couple of stents and a Pacemaker just prior to a house fire/displacement on January 3, 2004. Spring of 2006 found Charlotte ill and August brought a trip to Bryce, the Grand Canyon and Zion for the two as well as Julie, Steve and granddaughter Codi prior to Char’s passing in March, 2007. 2011 brought further health complications, before and after Chuck turned 87, ushering for the final time at church that day. He recovered quite mightily from a hospital stay that summer. A stroke in July, 2013 precipitated two hospital stays and time in a care facility prior to returning home where, sadly, he was to remain substantially bedridden for quite some time prior to his passing, blessed by the presence of some very special caregivers, volunteers, friends and so forth. (You know who you are – THANK YOU!)

He is received in death by his father and mother, five older sisters, wife, Charlotte and eldest son, Steven. Survived by daughter Julie and her daughter, Codi, who moved from Boulder to Longmont in May, 2006 to accompany this journey, daughter-in-law Theresa and her daughter, Madison, of Broomfield, son Wayne, his wife Jessica, their daughter Tawnna and her brother Whaylon of Denver and son, John, his children Tanner and Brooke, of Longmont, numerous nieces and nephews.

Ever full of vast knowledge and experiences and many, many memories, Charles will be remembered and missed by many causes and charities as well as family and friends. A memorial service in celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 11:00 at First United Methodist Church, The Heart of Longmont, 350 11th Avenue, Longmont, Colorado. Remembrances in his honor might be made to the benefit of The Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Wesley Foundation at U of C, Boulder, FUMC Longmont or to CSPERA or SVVREA scholarship funds.