Edelgard Renate Houts

Edelgard was born in Essen, Germany, on December 20, 1934, to the late Walter Gleffe and the late Edeltraut Neuse Gleffe. She was the third of six children coming of age during World War II. Edelgard (“Edie”) met her future husband, Lewis, who was serving in the Army, on a blind date. Edie and Lewis were married in September 1965 and returned to the United States. Lewis received orders to Vietnam soon after, so Edie moved to Michigan with her infant children to live with her new in-laws. Edie took the many moves associated with Lewis’ military career in stride, but was happy to return to her native Germany for several years in the 1970s. When Lewis retired from the military, Edie worked as a bookkeeper while he completed his education. They settled in Plano, TX in 1980. Edie started working at Texans’ Credit Union in Richardson, TX where she worked as an accounting clerk until she retired in December 2000. In retirement, she cared for her grandchildren, and enjoyed gardening, baking, and arts and crafts. She was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Plano TX, serving as an Elder and Session member.

Edie was incredibly resourceful and made the best of any situation she found herself in: She taught herself English, walked to driving school, earned her GED (even though she had completed schooling in Germany), and frugally managed the family finances on military pay. Family, both near and far, was important to her. Edie exchanged regular letters with her mother and sisters in Germany and stayed close with them despite the distance. She loved young children and enjoyed playing on the floor and doing arts and crafts with her children and grandchildren. Set in her ways, Edie kept a meticulous house with a place for everything and everything in its place. Edie’s green thumb meant there was always something growing around her, plants inside and flowers in a garden outside. Edie rarely complained, but you knew she did not particularly like a food when she said, “I can eat it.” She died quickly and peacefully, surrounded by her family.

Edelgard is survived by her husband of 57 years, Lewis Houts; son Lawrence (Larry) Houts; daughter Renate Houts (Andrews); sons-in-law Nathan Clark and Scott Andrews; grandchildren Madison Houts, Erin Andrews, and Aidan Andrews; sisters Frauke Heilmeier and Renate Ebert; sisters-in-law Martha Stakes, Betty Knapp, and Karen Houts; brother-in-law Larry Lee Houts; and numerous nieces and nephews in the United States and Germany.

Edelgard was preceded in death by her two sisters (Waltraut and Ruth), her brother (Klaus), her sister-in-law (Mary Jo Livingston), her brothers-in-law (Rolf Ebert, Darwin Livingston and Phil Knapp), and her nephew (Mark Livingston).