Loraine Houston
Charlotte Loraine "Loraine" Houston (nee Newman) (21 December 1939 - 13 September 2025) was a Red Deer resident and family genealogist on Ancestry.ca.
Early life
Loraine was born to Harold Newman and Marie Sloan.
Marriage and family
Loraine married Robert O. "Bob" Houston (1937 - 2022). They had three children:
- Ann Morse, who married a Jeremy Morse (he died sometime before 2025), and had a child:
- Rob Houston, the middle child
- Laura Houston, the youngest child
As of 2025 she has only one grandchild, Emily Morse.
Relationship with Relatives
Visits and Correspondence
- c. 1955–1956 (Easter break) — Harold took his children Dave (grade 12) and Loraine (grade 11) by CNR rail to meet Newman relatives in eastern Canada, then south to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to visit Clinton and Virginia. Dr. Jean was present during the visit and noted Loraine's persistent sleepiness as typical adolescent development.
- August 1962 — Clinton and Virginia visited Harold and Marie's home in Biggar, Saskatchewan. Loraine, Bob, and their infant daughter Ann were present. Virginia took a group photograph (and is therefore absent from it).
- Around the late 1970s, Harold and Marie attended the wedding of one of Ruth and Bruce's children, whom she believed in 2019 to be Mary Ann (but this is not possible since Mary Ann eloped). Marie spoke highly of Ruth.
- June 1982 — For Harold and Marie's 50th wedding anniversary, Virginia sent them a photograph taken at the Pittsburgh home showing a visit from Aunt Della (undated photo).
- Ongoing (multiple years) — Jack and his wife Dottie sent Marie annual Christmas greetings. In later years, Loraine replied on Marie's behalf, as Marie's dementia prevented her from corresponding. Loraine noted that Jack was always glad to receive updates on Marie, even after she had moved into a nursing home.
- February 1994 — Dave and his wife Lois, while holidaying with Marie in Kauai, Hawaii, looked up Jack and visited him.
- c. late 1990s–2000s — Dave and Lois returned to Kauai and had a second, extended visit with Jack.
- c. 2010s — Dave and Lois visited Jack's son Tom and his family while in New York. Dave maintained ongoing contact with Tom.
- Michael Currie met Loraine with her brother Dave and family in September 2018 at her home in Red Deer.
Unrealized visits
- Loraine expressed regret at never having met Jack and Dottie in person. Travel became difficult after Bob suffered his first heart attack in January 1999 at age 61, followed by subsequent cardiac events, knee replacements, and a large sarcoma requiring extended recovery (2018).
Obituary
Peacefully on Sep 13, 2025 Charlotte Loraine Houston, surrounded by family, passed into the loving arms of Jesus at the Red Deer Regional Hospital at the age of 85.
Loraine was born on Dec 21, 1939 in Windsor. Loraine grew up in Port Arthur Ontario (now known as Thunder Bay), Winnipeg Manitoba and Biggar Saskatchewan.
She attended nursing school at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. It was there that she met Bob. Graduating in 1961, she and Bob married that year. They located to Rosetown and while there welcomed their first child, Ann. Two years later Rob followed. A couple years later the family relocated to Regina and in 1970 Laura arrived.
Loraine was a stay at home mom, while picking up the occasional nursing shift at a variety of care facilities through the 70’s & 80’s. In 1981 she went to the University of Alberta and completed her bachelor of science in Nursing with a group of women who she affectionately called her second classmates. She worked as a public health nurse in both the Red Deer and Innisfail offices. She retired in the mid 90’s.
Loraine loved Jesus. She was involved in various bible studies, Christian women’s club, church choirs and any time the church needed a volunteer.
Loraine was predeceased by her loving husband Bob, her parents Harold & Marie and son-in-law Jeremy Morse. She leaves to mourn daughters Ann Morse and Laura Houston, son Rob Houston and her beloved granddaughter Emily Morse.
A memorial service for Loraine will be held at Eventide Funeral Home in Red Deer Alberta on Tuesday October 14th, 2025 at 1pm.
If desired, memorial donations may be made to Avant Ministries or Wycliffe Bible Translators.
Sources
[1] Self
[2] Ancestry.ca
[3] https://www.arbormemorial.ca/en/eventide/obituaries/charlotte-loraine-houston/148538.html