Dr. John F. Houchin, Sr.

Dr. John F. Houchin, Sr. (Nov. 1 1945 - July 11 2024) John Houchin was Born in Oak Park, Illinois November 1, 1945 to Ollie B. Houchin and Mary Ruth Houchin. He pass away in his home in Salem, Connecticut on July 11, 2024. He is survived by his wife Bette, two sons John Jr. and David, and his sister Nancy.

He spent early part of his life moving from college town to college town. Until his family arrived to Little Rock Arkansas, where he would live for eight years. Dad met his bests friend Charles Davis, Dickie, when he lived there, a friendship that lasted to the end. He moved from Little Rock to Oklahoma City in ’58 where he attended Northwest Classen High School. After Graduating, he went to Westminster, before transferring to Kemper Military school for one year. He then enrolled to The Ohio State University. He found his love his life Bette Louise Arnold through windows of the boarding houses they were living in. He was a member of the ROTC and Graduate with a degree in Psychology.

Upon graduating, John and Bette were married. He was station in Germany has a Second LT in army signal corp attached to NATO. There John discovered and fell in love with auto racing, especially F1. He told the story of discovering the Nürburging track by having the F1 cars buzzed past him on the track thru a row of trees a few feet away from him while he was driving on the main road.

In 1972, he and bette returned to US to start a family. John, Jr was born 1973 and David was born in 1977. He worked a few odd jobs till he was hired by the state of Ohio to work with people with intellectual disabilities at Broadview Heights. He found his calling and worked his up the ladder and moved to Massachusetts then Connecticut, to Louisiana and finally back to Connecticut. During this time he earn a Doctorate of Education from University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1986. After retirement, he joined the Lion club of Salem and he ran for office with Salem Democrats. He continued his love of photography, computers and trips to National parks till his death.

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