Richard A. Houghton Jr.

Richard A. Houghton, Jr. died peacefully at home in Orleans on May 28, 2013 at the age of 92, surrounded indoors by family and outdoors by colorful vistas of blooming rhododendrons. Born in Warwick, RI, Mr. Houghton worked as an aeronautical engineer at Northrup/Grumman in Bethpage, NY, and lived in Cold Spring Harbor, NY, before retiring to Orleans in 1977. Both of his homes were sanctuaries for birds, rhododendrons, and nature-minded people. Mr. Houghton is survived by his wife, Phebe, five children, nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Mr. Houghton worked for 36 years for Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation (now Northrup/Grumman) in Bethpage, NY. He worked on a number of programs, involving both aircraft and spacecraft. He designed and tested a no-wheels landing for jet fighters (aircraft without wheels are much lighter and more agile) and helped in the development of rocket-propelled ejection seats for low altitude, high speed aircraft. Mr. Houghton directed a proposal to NASA for the Mercury Space Capsule, which eventually became the United States' first manned spacecraft. He was involved with the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM), which carried two astronauts from the orbiting spacecraft to the surface of the moon and back in 1968. Mr. Houghton had a life-long interest in wildlife, nature, birds and birding. He was active in Christmas Bird Counts. He served as president of the Cold Spring Harbor Village Improvement Society and president of the Huntington (NY) Audubon Society. He and his wife were in the first class of docents at the Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay. Mr. Houghton also served as President of the Theodore Roosevelt Bird Sanctuary in Oyster Bay Cove in the late 1960s and early 1970s, helping to persuade the National Audubon Society to establish the first National Audubon Sanctuary on land adjacent to Teddy Roosevelt's burial place. After moving to Cape Cod following retirement, Mr. Houghton served on the Conservation Commission in Orleans. One of his accomplishments as chairman was successfully mediating the Kent's Point dispute regarding parking. Mr. Houghton was also an officer in the American Rhododendron Society, an international society of more than 6000 members. 'Retired' to Orleans, Mr. Houghton planted about 300 rhododendrons in his own sanctuary, most of them different varieties. His garden is still a wonder of bright and pastel colors every spring. He tried his hand a hybridizing, or creating his own varieties of rhododendrons. "Phebe E." was one of his creations, named in honor of his wife. After retirement, Mr. Houghton combined his interests in conservation and engineering by designing and building one of the first solar houses in the area. The entire south side of the house is constructed of glass panels, the top rows collecting heated air for circulation and storage throughout the house, and the bottom rows serving as a wall for an indoor greenhouse. The solar heating system of forced hot air, including heat storage in bricks and reinforced concrete slabs, has been heating the house successfully for 25 years. Mr. Houghton loved music and sang in the choir at St. John's Episcopal Church in Cold Spring Harbor, NY, for 25 years. On the Cape he sang with the Chatham Chorale, participating in performances of Braham's, Faur's, and Verdi's requiems. Verdi's was his favorite. Mr. Houghton is survived by his wife, Phebe, five children, nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. The oldest child, Richard A. Houghton, III, is a senior scientist at the Woods Hole Research Center in Woods Hole, MA. The oldest daughter, Elizabeth A. Lang, is retired from having been a teacher and chair of the religion department at the Episcopal School of Dallas, Texas. David B. Houghton, is a carpenter and craftsman of fine wood products in Orleans, MA. Penelope Struzinski is mother and, lately, Mr. Houghton's superb primary care provider. Alan C. Houghton is a recording engineer, producer, and owner of Dubway Studios in NYC as well as a practicing musician in the band, "Life in a Blender". No services planned. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Orleans Conservation Trust (www.orleansconservationtrust.org) (P.O. Box 1078, East Orleans, MA 02643).