Robert Houston

Robert J. Houston A Celebration of Life will be held for Robert John Houston at on 2:00 pm October 23, 2010 at McHenry Funeral Home in Corvallis. He passed away Saturday, October 16th peacefully in his sleep from complications of diabetes. He was 83. Robert was born June 6, 1927 in Los Angeles, to Robert John Houston and Sylvia Houston. He attended Kenton Elementary School in Portland, then Jefferson High school before enlisting in the Marine Corps during World War II. After the war, he attended Vanport College. He left Vanport to earn a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon in 1950, followed by a Master’s of Education degree from the University of Portland, a Masters of Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley and finally, in 1964 he earned a Doctorate of Education from the University of Oregon. In between pursuing his educational degrees, he taught at various high schools throughout Lane County. In addition, he taught at the Northern Montana College in Havre, Montana. He also worked at the Sonoma County Public Health Department in Santa Rosa, California, where he met Joyce Luppi. They married in 1971. The couple moved to Oregon and Robert was employed as an Associate Professor of Public Health at Oregon State University. He stayed at the university for 27 years, primarily because he enjoyed public health at OSU and Corvallis so much. In addition to his work at OSU, he also taught driver’s education and developed driver’s education programs—making him a highly respected leader in driver’s instruction throughout the State of Oregon. After his retirement from OSU in 1993, he continued teaching driver’s education. He retired in Harrisburg from teaching driver’s ed, but stayed involved with social groups in Corvallis and the Oregon Alumni Association. One project that became a passion for him was working with the Harrisburg Parks Committee to develop a park in Harrisburg. During his years at OSU, he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and became a severe diabetic in his later life. Robert is survived by his wife Joyce Houston, his daughter Susan, his son Tom, his sister Shirley and his brother Bill. Memorial donations in Robert’s name may be directed to the Heartland Humane Society in care of McHenry Funeral Home 206 NW 5th St., Corvallis, OR 97330. A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, October 23, 2010 at McHenry Funeral Home. Interment will take place at Willamette National Cemetery.

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Robert Houston

June 6, 1927 - October 16, 2010