John Lewis Houchins, 91, was called to take his spot in heaven on October 20, 2023. He was married to Faye Glasford on January 8, 1955. They spent 68 loving years together.
John was born in Callaway County on Saturday, December 19, 1931 to the late Robie and Goldie (Mumford) Houchins. He was the fourth of nine boys. John graduated from Fulton High School in 1950. He went on to work in the brick industry for 41 years and retired from National Refractories in Mexico.
John was a long-time member of the VFW men’s auxiliary a.k.a. 83rd Helpers. He enjoyed traveling, seeing places like Australia, Old Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. He visited many places within the United States. His favorite being Hot Springs, Arkansas where he attended the horse races many times with a group of close friends. John spent a lot of time in Calwood on the family farm pampering his purebred Black Angus. He would finish most days with a visit to Wright Brothers to get the latest gossip then reporting to the VFW for Happy Hour enjoying his Walker’s Kentucky Bourbon. Many summers were spent camping with family and good friends Jay and Millie Allen at Mark Twain Lake. In his later years, John enjoyed sipping bourbon on the front porch on Sundays, watching his great grandchildren feeding the catfish and riding his golf cart around his property.
John is survived by his wife Faye Houchins, daughter Linda Hawkins (Steve); brother, Harold Gene Houchins; four grandchildren, Jennifer Cooper (Shannon Gaydos), Leighann Chan (Frank), Christopher Hawkins (Amber), and Lucas Houchins; ten great grandchildren, Zachery Cooper, Zoey Cooper, Zaya Cooper, Lillian Hawkins, Logan Chan, Lucy Chan, Lincoln Hawkins, Ruby Chan, Lydia Hawkins, and Hazel Chan.
In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his two sons, David Lee Houchins and Randall Mark Houchins; brothers Bill, Rollie, Riley, Everett, Lawrence, Finis and Carl Houchins.
Services will be held at 5 p.m. on Sat., Oct. 28, at Maupin Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 3 p.m. until the time of the service. A private graveside service will be held at a later date at Callaway Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the VFW 83rd Helpers or St. Jude’s Children's Research Hospital c/o of Maupin Funeral Home, 301 Douglas Blvd., Fulton, MO 65251.
Condolences can be left for the family at www.maupinfuneralhome.com.
