Robert Clarence Houston, Iii

Life Reflections Robert Clarence Houston, III was an intelligent, easy going, resilient and tenacious man who never truly met a stranger. Known for his love and care of family and friends. Robert was kind and responsive to others' needs with his time, his heart and his hands. He was the youngest child born to the union of Clarence M. Houston and Florence Mitchell and was predeceased by his parents and older siblings Jacquelyn, Kenneth, Geraldine, and Winifred and his beloved bride, Fannye. Affectionately known as "Bobbie", he was raised in a loving, Christian family and spent his form-ative years coming of age in Richmond Heights, Missouri. Robert accepted Christ early in life and attended First Baptist Church of Maplewood. Until death he was a committed member of Spirit of Love Church, Florissant, Missouri. Even when he was a few minutes late for Sunday service, Mr. Houston could be seen walking down the aisle at Spirit of Love to in "his front row seat". He always invited a host of friends and family to attend the church's "Pack the Pews" Sunday. Growing up in a time of racial segregation in the United States, Robert attended Douglass High School. June 2019 marked the 70th anniversary of his high school graduation. Until his death, Bobbie maintained a Large, extended family of childhood friends from Richmond Heights and Webster Groves, Missouri. He was known as the "go to" person for questions and kept everyone informed of the happenings in the lives of others. Given his visual impairments late in life, Robert characteristically checked in daily by phone with family and friends. Garnering the name "Big Four" from teammates, Bobble was known as a "60 minute" man, playing high school and semi-pro football as an offensive and defensive lineman for all four quarters of the game. In his early career, Mr. Houston was a car delivery driver and chauffeur and had a photographic memory of the metro St. Louis area. Until his death he could still provide better driving directions than today's GPS. He had a love of cars, was a good mechanic, had an investigative mind and was meticulous at remembering birthdays, numbers and details. On Saturday afternoons, he would spend time adoringly waxing the family cars to a brilliant, spit polish shine. Mr. Houston provided well for his family and at times throughout his life worked two jobs. He retired in 1991 as a parts clerk after 35 years of service with Carlson Oldsmobile. Bobbie was blessed in holy matrimony for over 56 years to Fannye Bernice Dillon. The two were motivated to create a good life through hard work and principled parenting while providing steadfast love and support to their four children in their formative years and as adults. Fannye enjoyed cooking and Bobbie created a palate for good eating, especially Sunday "soul food" dinners. Their love extended beyond their biological family as they "adopted" many sons and daughters over their lifetime who also received and were blessed with their generous support. The couple lived in their University City, Missouri home for over 50 years where Bobbie was well known as supportive and helpful. He checked on neighbors, cleaned off cars in winter and gently reminded them of their upcoming license plate renewals. One neighbor commented, "Bobbie was a good neighbor and a good man." The couple played hard, took time to travel and enjoyed an active social life with family, friends and as found-ing members or the St. Louis 4/9th Social Club. They enjoyed jazz festivals, cruises, black tie affairs and New Year's Eve Celebrations. One of Mr. Houston's favorites was bid-whist basement parties to the blues crooning of B.B. King and his guitar, Lucille along with Bobby "Blue" Bland. Mr. Houston served as the bartender, he savored fine bourbon and was Known from time to time to enjoy a good cigar. Mr. Houston was known to be "frugal", had a great business mind and could calculate to a penny in his head. He was a traditional yet "progressive" husband who did the weekly grocery shopping for his elderly parents and his family to assure household expenses stayed on budget. Although he never hit the "big one", he enjoyed playing family and grandchildren birth dates in the lottery. As an avid sports fan, Robert enjoyed all St. Louis teams through the years from the football Cardinals and Rams, the Blues Hockey team and his beloved "Redbirds", the St. Louis baseball Cardinals. He ardently followed the Card's daily, either watching the baseball games or listening to them on the radio and tracking their win-loss stats on his calendar. Mr. Houston passionately collected Cardinal memorabilia and provided his own ''color commentary" about the latest players and their performances at bat and on the field. Robert C. Houston, III leaves to cherish his memory: sons, Michael (Annick), Robert (Kathleen), Troy and daughter Kimberly. Sisters Willie Mae Smith, Dr. Sharon (Vincent) Woodruff, Synthia Farr and brother Ron (Lisa) Simpson; eight granddaughters, six grandsons and 17 great-granddilldren who lovingly called him "Paw Paw" along with a host of belov-ed relatives, special and lifelong friends, adopted and extended family, neighbors, and co-workers who all were blessed by his abundant love. Robert Houston was truly one of God's Gentlemen Gladiators and his kind servant spirit will be greatly missed. Interment:Lake Charles Memorial Park Cemetery 7775 St. Charles Rock RoadSt. Louis, MO 63114 Repast:Heman Park Community Center975 Pennsylvania AvenueUniversity City, MO 63130 . Visitation Calvary Missionary Baptist Church Monday, July 22, 2019 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM 2822 Dr. Martin Luther King DriveSt. Louis, Missouri 63106 Directions Funeral Service Calvary Missionary Baptist Church Monday, July 22, 2019 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM 2822 Dr. Martin Luther King DriveSt. Louis, Missouri 63106 Directions