William Houston Black Sr.

Mr. William Houston Black, Sr. departed this life on May 23, 2011 at Hospice of Wake County after a brief illness. He was born in Kings Mountain, NC, the youngest of three sons of Clarence Leslie Black and Dora McMahan Black.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Virginia, and two brothers, Barney and Ray. Houston is survived by his son, William Houston (Hugh) Black, Jr. of Greensboro, and daughter Anne Black Carter and her husband George (Bucky), granddaughter Julian (Juli) Ruth Black, and grandson George William (Will) Carter III, all of Raleigh.

Houston excelled in sports, and was a forward on the Kings Mountain High School basketball team that swept the NC state high school championship in 1944 (1945?) Houston served in the US Army, and was stationed in Germany at the close of World War II. He attended Catawba College on the GI bill and with a basketball scholarship, and it was there that he met his wife of 54 years, the late Virginia Anne Buie Black.

Houston taught biology and coached the football team at Rockingham High School in Rockingham, NC for several years during the 1950s. He moved his young family to Southern Pines in 1959 to accept a sales position with Carolina Power & Light Co. He then became a Division Personnel Representative, and later was promoted to Wage and Benefits Director. He retired from CP&L in 1989. Houston never met a stranger, and had a special gift for being able to make anyone from any walk of life feel as if he or she were his best friend.

A lifelong Christian, Houston joined First Presbyterian Church when he and Virginia moved to Raleigh in 1968. They were faithful members of the Koinonia Sunday school class for over 40 years, and Houston served as deacon, elder, Stephen Minister, Sunday School teacher, and Moderator of New Hope Presbytery. He was a dedicated member of the Early Birds weekly men’s breakfast group.

The family wishes to thank the staff and residents of Whitaker Glen and Mayview, the doctors, nurses, and staff at Rex Hospital, Rex Rehab, and Hospice of Wake County for their kind and competent care of Houston during recent weeks. Memorial contributions may be made to the scholarship fund at Catawba College or to the friendship fund at First Presbyterian Church, Raleigh, NC.

The family will receive friends at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 St. Mary’s Street, Raleigh, NC, Wednesday evening, May 25th from 6 – 8 pm. A service to celebrate the life of Houston Black will be held at First Presbyterian Church located on the corner of Morgan and Salisbury Streets in downtown Raleigh, NC, at 1:00 on Thursday, May 26th with graveside service immediately following. Internment will be at Raleigh Memorial Park, 7501 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC.

Condolences may be sent to www.brownwynne.com