Robert "Bob" Houston

Robert “Bob” Houston, 88 of Jonesboro, died Saturday, June 17, 2017 at NEA Baptist Medical Center. Bob was born in Sparta, Illinois on February 25, 1929 to George Seymour Houston and Hazel Miller, who died at the age of 20. The mother he came to know and love was Edna Williams.

When Bob was thirteen, the family moved to Jonesboro where he graduated from high school and then entered the U.S. Navy, serving in Panama for two years. Following this tour of duty, he attended Arkansas State University and then later graduated from Don Martin School of Arts in Los Angeles, California.

Bob married the love of his life and next door neighbor, Mary Sue Cabe on September 9, 1951. They spent their first two years of marriage in Hollywood, California but Bob wanted to raise his future children in Jonesboro, near their grandparents. Bob was a member of the Jonesboro Rotary Club over fifty years and at one time served as president and the club’s historian. As the GSE, Group Study Exchange, team leader to Japan he spent six memorable weeks as Rotary’s Ambassador.

As a State Farm Agent he made many life-long friends, and still enjoyed those friendships after his retirement. Bob excelled in swimming and won many medals during several senior Olympics. As a member of First Christian Church, he served as an elder for many years and president of the church board. Bud Langford’s hot air balloon was enjoyed by Bob and they entered the first world balloon fest in Albuquerque.

Bob is survived by his wife and girls, Lin Minor (Rick) and Lissa Houston; granddaughter, Christy Schuchardt Frank (Dr. Robert Frank) of Nashville, Tennessee; sister, Sue Turman (Dean) and nieces Laura Pugh and Wendy French.

A memorial service will be 2:00 PM, Thursday, June 22, 2017 at Emerson Memorial Chapel with Stephen Moody officiating and Emerson Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Burial will be private and David Ferguson, Bud Langford, Don Toombs, Lou Semrau, Dean Puryear, Sonny Dean, Skip Highfill, Gordon Metzgar, Tommy Reece, Charles Frierson, Alan Patteson, Dr. John Sanford, Dr. Pete Kemp and Frank Sloan will serve as honorary pallbearers. Visitation will be from 5-7 Wednesday night at Emerson Funeral Home.

For lasting memorials, please consider the Craighead County Historical Society where he served as president or any animal rescue shelter. To sign an online registry, go to emersonfuneralhome.com