Marion Houk, 92, of Vero Beach, passed away on March 28, 2014.
She is survived by her children David C. Houk (Amy), and Julie Houk Goodrich (David) as well as her five grandchildren, Kai Quinlan, Katherine and Christian Goodrich (Jacqueline), and Judd and Jonika Houk.
She was preceded in death by her husband Robert in 2010, and a granddaughter, Elizabeth Goodrich.
Houk was born in Evansville, Ind., on June 11, 1921 to Helen Straub Pfitzner and Walter Pfitzner. She attended Bosse High School in Evansville, graduating in 1938, then DePauw University with a Bachelors degree in Spanish in 1942. It was there that she met Robert Houk, who became her best friend and husband for almost 68 years.
During her husband’s time in the Navy during World War II, Houk served as a civil servant for the Censorship Bureau in the ‘secret ink’ department in Miami, scouring the diplomatic corps members’ mail for microfilm in the dots over the ‘i’s.’ Most of the letters she was charged with reading were written in Spanish and were full of very personal details.
After the war, she and her husband moved to Indianapolis, Ind., where he began his ‘civilian career,’ and she her life as a wife, mother and volunteer. Houk was quick to lend a hand as the car pool mom, Cub Scout den mother, Brownie Scout leader, swim team mom, P.T.A. volunteer, board member for her Alpha Phi sorority chapter, Sunday school teacher and, eventually, babysitter for her grand kids.
She was also her husband’s best supporter in his career with the F.C. Tucker real estate company.
“Keenie,” as she was known to the grand kids, was a fiercely loyal and loving mother and grandmother. She was very well read and loved to glean the newspapers and magazines for articles she could send to her family, earning her the nickname, ‘The Mad Clipper.’ She will be greatly missed by all.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the Alpha Phi Home Association, c/o M. Smith, 613 Anderson Street, Greencastle, IN 46135 (memo ‘Gamma Girls Fund’). Arrangements are under the direction of Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home and Crematory in Vero Beach. An online guestbook may be signed at www.coxgiffordseawinds.com.
