Rev. Lawrence Patrick Houston Jr.

The Rev. Lawrence Patrick Houston Jr. died on Friday, April 18, 2014.
A service of Holy Eucharist will be held on Wednesday, 11 a.m. at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, followed by the interment in the columbarium. The family will receive friends in the Parish Hall after the service. Rev. Houston spent his life in the service of others. He was the rector of Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church for 24 years where he touched his parishioners and the broader community with love, compassion and a strong sense of social responsibility. He was a teacher and champion for the socially disadvantaged as well as rector. He started his career as a teacher in a small school teaching reading to boys with learning disabilities. As a rector, Mr. Houston helped found REAL Crisis Center, a 24 hour crisis and referral service, and Bonner’s Lane Day Care Center, which provided care for disadvantaged children in West Greenville for over 20 years. The Rev. Houston served as a director of Pitt Community College’s Adult Basic Education Program and an administrator for the Perkins Foundation which provides grants for community uplift programs. Upon retiring from Saint Paul’s, he spent a year in England as the vicar of a small country church in Downham, where his warmth and sense of humor helped form a number of dear friendships that continued for 20 plus years. Back in the states, he took on duties as a temporary rector in various local communities before retiring for good. His retirement years were spent between Greenville and his beloved mountain cabin where he would sit on the porch and take in the views. He is survived by his beloved wife, Sandra Tucker Houston; three children, Larry, David and Sarah, and their spouses, Cherry, Beverly and Ed Mirra; six grandchildren, Nicole, Ashleigh, Joseph, Kelly, Kristen and Ed; six great-grandchildren, Hayleigh, Evyn, James, Luke, Eddie and Alayna; sister and brother-in-law Trilby and Bob Wall; as well as cousins, nieces and nephews in his native state of Ohio and his adopted state of North Carolina. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Heifer International, 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72202 or Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, 401 E. 4th St., Greenville, NC 27858. Online condolences at www.wilkersonfuneralhome.com