Robert HOUSTON

1946 - 2022

HOUSTON,

Robert Alan "Bob"

Age 75, passed away peacefully on January 30, 2022, at River Oaks Alzheimer's Special Care Center in Dayton, Ohio, after a battle with dementia, with his daughters by his side.

Bob was born in Akron, Ohio, on October 7, 1946, to the late Dr. William and Alice Houston. Bob graduated in 1964 from Western Reserve Academy, in Hudson, Ohio, Wittenberg University, in Springfield, OH, with a BS in Business Administration in 1968, and the University of Dayton, in Dayton, OH, with an MBA in 1983.

Bob retired in 2010 from Hyster Company in Greenville, NC. Prior to working for Hyster, he was the Vice President and General Manager for Hydroelectric Lift Truck, Inc, in Wilmington, Ohio. Prior to that he had also been with the Hyster

Distributions organization as Branch Manager at the Dayton branch of the Bode-Finn Company.

During his years living in the Dayton area, Bob was an active member of Christ United Methodist Church in Kettering, Ohio, as an usher, a member of the discipleship and finance committee, confirmation counselor, and was the co-director of the stewardship program with his late wife, Nancy. Also, Bob

was a member of the Board of Directors for the Wilmington/Clinton County Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Education Task Force, Chair of the Advisory Board for Southern State Community College's Center for Business and Industry, as well as served on the board for the Clinton County YMCA. In 1998, Bob and his wife Nancy moved to Chocowinity, NC where they became active members of

Cypress Landing Golf Club, as well as the First Presbyterian Church of Washington, NC.

Bob had a passion for sports throughout his entire life. He played football at Wittenberg University and was part of their 1964 Championship Football Team. After college he became involved in the Ohio High School Athletics Association as a football official. Throughout his 25+ years as a football official, he had the opportunity to lead his own crew, train and certify other officials, and officiate multiple state playoff games. Bob also spent 18 years as a swimming official, which started as a GDSA official and eventually led to him being a National Championship Swimming Official as a referee and starter. Bob traveled the country as a swimming official, even having the honor of being the starter for the USA Swimming Olympic Trials.

Most importantly, Bob had a love for his family. He married Nancy Jane (Miller) Houston on August 9, 1969, after meeting at Wittenberg University. They were married for 40 years until Nancy passed away in 2009. Surviving are two daughters,

Carrie Lin and husband, Jon Schade and their children, Mary Caroline and Luke Robert all of Dayton, Ohio, Melinda Beth and husband, Matthew T. Shultz and their children, Jackson Matthew and Colton Robert-Thomas of Columbus, Ohio; sister, Beth Ann Houston of Dayton, Ohio; brother, W. Brock Houston and wife, Nola of San Diego, CA; their son, Jason and his daughters, Emma and Kathrin, son, Ryan, wife Natalie, and their children, Wyatt, Caitlin, Leif, and Miles, and son Brant and wife, Tricia and their children Liam, Charlie, and Max: sister-in-law, Carolyn Fleig (deceased) and husband, Dan of Cleveland, Ohio and Carolyn's sons Todd Weber (deceased), and Scott Weber, wife, Loree and their children, Mackenzie, Malloree, Chase and Colby, Dan's daughter, Kathy and husband, Jeff Wichert and their children, Kaylee, Brian, and

Justin; and Dan's son, Jeff Fleig; a sister-in-law, Margie Langworthy (deceased) of Atlanta, GA, and her son Jason and wife Sara, a brother-in-law, Jim Miller of Chicago, Illinois, and his sons, Greg and Marc Miller.

A celebration of life will be held on February 26, 2022, at The Golf Club at Yankee Trace in Centerville, Ohio, from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm. It will be an open house style celebration for Bob's family and friends. At 5:30 pm the family will share a few words and encourage anyone else who would like to speak to do so as well.