| Graduation Year | Class of 1972 |
| Date of Passing | May 20, 2014 |
| About | Obituary for Michael Houston Michael A. Houston died May 20, 2014 of melanoma cancer. Michael was born on October 3, 1953 at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Pendleton, Oregon. His family moved repeatedly between the time he was 6 and 12. Many good childhood memories were made living in Touchet, Washington for several years, but the family finally settled in Chelan in 1966. Michael lived in Chelan for the next 6 years, graduating from Chelan High School in 1972. He joined the Army National Guard in September of the same year, specializing in both Wheeled and Tracked Vehicle Maintenance. Michael did his active duty training from January to the end of June 1973; and he continued with the Guard until 1994 when he retired with 22 years of service. Upon his return from active duty in 1973, while working half-time as a custodian, he began attending Wenatchee Valley College. He graduated in 1976 with an Associate of Applied Arts in Automotive Mechanics and 2 years of German language study. Michael attended Bethesda Christian College from 1976 until 1980, studying towards a Bachelor’s degree in Theology. On May 22nd 1981, He married the love of his life, Renee M. Blackman. He began working as a custodian full-time, ending up at Lincoln Elementary in 1983 in Wenatchee. After receiving encouragement from teachers in this school, Michael and his family moved to Ellensburg in 1986, from which they returned in 1989 with a B.A. in Elementary Ed. and a minor in Spanish. He was immediately hired at Lincoln Elementary and continued working there as a 5th grade teacher until his medical leave to fight his cancer. |
