Gloria Rockwood Houghton

HOUGHTON, GLORIA
ROCKWOOD, 87, retired English teacher and dramatic presenter, died peacefully on September 16, 2011 from complications of a stroke. She was born on August 9, 1924 in Whitefish Bay, WI, a suburb of Milwaukee, the daughter and only child of Ellsworth W. Rockwood and Florence Sanborn Rockwood. She graduated from Radcliffe College of Harvard University in 1946 and received her Master of Arts in Teaching from Rollins College in 1966. She taught as an associate professor at the former Orlando Junior College and later taught British literature and humanities at Trinity Preparatory School where she was beloved by her many students. Although she retired from Trinity Prep in 1979, many of her students from forty years ago remember being inspired by her because she made British literature "come alive" with her innovative and dramatic teaching techniques. One such former Trinity student is Mayanne Downs, 2010-2011 President of the Florida Bar Association, who always made a point of visiting Gloria at The Mayflower Retirement Center. In college at Harvard, Gloria was active in the drama society and appeared in the play, "Playboy of the Western World," opposite her fellow Harvard student Jack Lemmon who went on to become a famous actor. After graduation Gloria taught at Dana Hall in Wellesley, MA, where she met her future husband, Frank Houghton. Frank was an instructor in the Naval R.O.T.C. program. She continued to be interested in drama and literature throughout her life. She was well known for her book reviews, travelogues, and one-woman dramatic productions where she often portrayed famous historical figures, like Queen Victoria or Eleanor of Aquitaine, to name a few, always in lavish costumes. She also loved to travel to such exotic places as China, Russia, and Poland, but England was always her favorite. She brought a rickshaw home from China to take her guests for rickshaw rides at a dinner party, and she took suitcases full of Polish canned hams back to Poland because their country exported all their ham to other countries! She moved with her husband and their three children from Milwaukee to Winter Park in 1955. She was elected the first P.T.A. president of Lakemont Elementary School when it opened in 1956. She remained active in her children's activities, including being a Girl Scout Leader, a Sunday school teacher, a Bible school teacher, and a frequent room mother. She was always devoted to her children and grandchildren. She was selected as the Florida Mother of the Year in 1995, and represented Florida at the national American Mothers convention. She was also a contributing author of the book, "Mother Love-Shared Experiences of Successful Mothering," published by American Mothers, Inc. Known as "Muzzy" to her family, Gloria also wrote a book of her childhood recollections, "Muzzy, Tell Me a Memory." She was an active member of All Saints Episcopal Church where she helped found the Marionette Guild, putting on puppet shows for school children throughout Orange County. She was also active in the Winter Park Women's Club, the Sorosis Club of Orlando, the Town Club of Winter Park, the Winter Park Junior Service League, and the Current Book Club of Winter Park. She also enjoyed playing bridge in numerous bridge clubs, especially with her close friends, The Golden Girls. She is survived by her beloved husband of 65 years, Franklin Otis Houghton; and their three children, Ken Houghton and wife Sally; Betsy Houghton Fulmer and husband Frank; and Deborah Houghton Schmidt and husband Emmett. Also surviving are her ten grandchildren, David Houghton, Laura Houghton
Coleman, John Houghton, Sarah Houghton, Amy Fulmer Connell, Eden Fulmer, Elizabeth Fulmer
Sullivan, Benjamin Schmidt,
Meredith Schmidt Edelstein, and Daniel Schmidt. She now has eight great-grandchildren, Thomas
Coleman, William Coleman, Henry Houghton, Hamilton Houghton, Cole Connell, Anna Grace Sullivan, Sarah Sullivan, and Kennedy
Sullivan. A memorial service will be held at a later date at The Mayflower Retirement Center with Rev. Rob Lord of All Saints Church officiating. Please contact Carey Hand Cox-Parker Funeral Home for the date and time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Orlando Shakespeare Theater, 812 E. Rollins St., Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32803.