Bob Houston

1922 - 2017

Bob Wright Houston, 94, of Kanab, Utah passed away on January 1, 2017 at his home surrounded by his wife, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Bob was born in Panguitch, Utah on March 15, 1922 to Joseph Gale Houston and Rula Dalley Houston. Bob was the second of five children. From a very young age, Bob would always wear some type of cap/hat wherever he went. He quickly had a nickname established as "hood".

The family had a home in Panguitch, Utah located across the street from the elementary and high school. They lived in the home during the winter and during the summer they would move to the family farm located 5 miles north of Panguitch, Utah. While living on the family farm Bob's mother taught him how to make country gravy which Bob became world famous for as he made the country gravy every morning at Houston's Trails End Restaurant in Kanab, Utah.

Bob's industry and hard work began to show at a very young age. When he was eight years old he would go with his father to Sandy Peak north of Panguitch to tend the sheep. When Bob was 11 he started delivering the Salt Lake Tribune to about half of the town of Panguitch. At the age of 13 Bob started a job making bricks at a plant located in Panguitch. Bob worked in the potato fields weeding them and then at harvest time he worked putting the potatoes in baskets in the field. At the age of 17 Bob worked on a threshing machine that traveled around the area doing threshing for the farmers.

Bob graduated from Garfield County High School on May 16, 1940. After graduation Bob went to San Diego, California and worked making manifolds for the radial aircraft engines.

Bob was inducted in the Army on April 7, 1943 at Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City. He completed his basic training at Camp Cooke, California. Bob was then sent to Knoxville, Tennessee to begin the Army Air Force Training and Schooling. Bob started flight training and logged 10 hours in a piper cub aircraft. He served in the Philippines where he was a truck and jeep driver. The war ended but Bob continued to serve in the Philippines until February 16, 1945. He was honorably discharged on March 7, 1946.

After his return from the army Bob returned to driving truck hauling produce from Phoenix to Salt Lake City.

In less than a years' time Bob met Emma Dee Orton. Bob ran into Emma while they were roller skating and knocked her down. This was the beginning of a seventy year love story that grew stronger and stronger every day of their lives. They were married May 8, 1948 in Fredonia, Arizona. Emma was seventeen and Bob was 26.

The couple continued to haul produce from Phoenix to Salt Lake City until their first son Robert Dee Houston was born. The family moved to Flagstaff, Arizona where Bob started a job driving truck from Flagstaff to Houserock, Arizona. Bob became the envy of all of the women in the housing tract where they lived. He could be seen hanging out the laundry and one who always opened the door for his sweetheart Emma.

Shirley, their first daughter, was born on February 21, 1951. The growing family bought their first home in Flagstaff. On October 6, 1954 their final child, Joe Daniel Houston, was born. Bob continued to drive for Utah/Arizona Freightways which later became Consolidated Freightways. The company later wanted to transfer Bob to Oregon so Bob started driving for Kaibab Lumber Company in Flagstaff.

Bob was actively involved with the building of the new Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center in Flagstaff. All of his spare time was spent working on the building.

In 1966 Bob was transferred to Kanab, Utah. Bob continued to drive truck until he retired in 1990. He joined the family restaurant business full-time and became the King of country gravy.

Bob was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serving in a wide variety of callings. Many of his callings were behind the scenes and he served with great commitment and diligence.

Bob absolutely treasured of all of his grandchildren. Each one can tell stories of the own special time with grandpa whether it was camping, fishing, hunting, or working on a project together.

Throughout their marriage Bob treated Emma like royalty. Bob is survived by his beloved wife Emma, children Robert Dee Houston (DayLean), Shirley Smith (Clyde), and Joe Daniel Houston (Molly); brother Herman Jack Houston; and sister Karen (Dan) Tebbs. He has 13 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father, mother, 2 brothers, 1 sister, 1 grandchild and 2 great grandchildren.

Bob has left a legacy of hard work, love, and service worthy of emulation by all of his posterity.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00AM on Thursday, January 5, 2017 at the Kanab Utah Stake Center, 41 West Center Street. Visitation will be held from 6:00-7:00 PM on Wednesday, January 4, 2017 and 45 minutes prior to the service on Thursday, both at the Stake Center. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Mosdell Mortuary.