Clare Scott Powell Houston

Clare Scott Powell Houston passed away on October 20, 2025, peacefully in her home away from home, Rosewood Memory Care Center in Charlotte, NC, at the age of 80, among the Rosewood “sorority sisters” she had come to know in her relatively short time there. She will be buried at the Historic Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Clare came from a large and loving family. Her parents, James F. Powell, Jr. and Clare Scott J. Powell, raised six children: Clare, sisters, Joan Skinner (Bryant) and Martha Powell (both deceased), and brothers, Jim Powell (Roberta), Ralph Powell (Debbie), and Joe Powell (Jeanette).

Clare attended Needham Broughton High School, graduating in 1963. Following this she went to St. Mary’s College and transferred to UNC Greensboro (formerly the Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina), where she graduated with an Office Management degree in 1967. She met her future husband, Carl Wayne Houston, while working at NC State University where he was a student. They were married on October 18, 1969, and Wayne started working at Livingston & Haven a week later. Little did they know his role there would take them to multiple cities during his 56 years there. They lived in Charleston, SC, Raleigh, NC, Richmond, VA, Scott Depot, WV, and finally ended up in Charlotte, NC, where they built a home and lived there until Clare entered Rosewood in late May 2025.

Clare was an amazing mother, faithful wife to Wayne for 56 years, and friend. Her ability to connect with a person and their story was remarkable, always preferring face-to-face interactions or lingering phone calls with friends and family. She never wanted to be the center of attention, but you could easily tell her impact when she was at her best. She was small in stature yet mighty in Spirit and it truly was His fruit that others tasted & were drawn to. Clare had a love for horses and bluebirds, spending time with family laughing over the same stories, and lazy drives with Wayne through the country. Her love of God’s creation drew her to appreciate finding the perfect shell, making the flawless circle in the sand with her toes, and long walks along the beaches of Ocracoke Island.

Clare and Wayne raised two children, Ashley Houston Franklin (Matt) and Christopher Houston (Jenn). She was blessed to have had 5 grandchildren: Meg Scott, Aaron, Kayna, Samuel, and Coen. Clare is also survived by many nieces and nephews and an almost countless number of friends, many of whom she knew through their serving her while getting her hair cut, her nails done, or at her favorite restaurants. The family especially recognizes the many dedicated caregivers who helped Clare during her time at Rosewood. This facility, the team that cares daily for the Rosewood “sorority sisters” & their families, and the VIA Health Partners Hospice team are all the heroes of her final months. The proof of this was the peace that she had, the amazing food she would clean her plate for, and the memories made on their field trips around the city.

Clare’s life was marked by a faith deeply rooted in the truth of the Bible. Many times, she could be found in the wee hours of the morning sipping on hot coffee, eating her bagel, and reading a devotional by candlelight to put His Word into her heart each day. She knew that there was no place in His Word that said that life would be easy being a Christian; however, despite the many storms she faced during her life, she never became untethered to His truth. If she ever told a person she would pray for them, they were daily brought into His throne room in confidence that He would demonstrate Himself in exactly the way they needed Him to. Clare had a love for music and especially the many songs of worship that declared God’s goodness, faithfulness, healing, and provision.

The biggest gift that you could give to Clare is accepting Jesus as your Lord, your Savior, your risen King, the one that can usher in hope and can set you free from anything that holds you back, including guilt & shame. He loves you, He believes in you, and He has good plans for you. He doesn’t need you; He wants you. In accepting Him, you are not saying “goodbye” to her, you are saying “see you soon!”.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be sent to either one of these amazing organizations:

Rosewood Memory Care VIA Health Partners 6827 Curlee Ct. [email protected] Charlotte, NC 28277 www.viagiving.org/donating www.rosewood.care

There will be a 1:00 pm Celebration of Life service on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at Living Hope Ballantyne Church, 11724 Elm Lane, Charlotte, NC 28277.

Online condolences may be shared at www.McEwenPinevilleChapel.com