Horace Houghton

Late Thursday evening, after a short battle with cancer, Horace Houghton (Grandad Ho) passed away peacefully at home with his son by his side in his 97th year. Grandad Ho was the jokester, trickster, songsmith, wordsmith, and woodsmith. Predeceased by his wife Edith, 6 of his brothers and sisters, and his daughter-in-law Shelley. He will be missed by his son Phil, younger sister Brenda, granddaughters Jeska, Bethany, Laura, his 8 great grandchildren, and by the many vintage tools in his workshop.

Horace grew up in Liverpool England, the youngest boy in a family of 8 children. He spent his younger years playing around Liverpool and getting into trouble with his brothers. He joined the Royal Navy at 18 and served on a minesweeper in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. He was a proud veteran of WWII. He married the love of his life, Edith Gayner in 1949 at the age of 22. He worked in cabinetry for many years, both in Liverpool and in Toronto where he and his family moved in the 60’s. He relocated to Haliburton in the last 5 years of his life, helping his son and daughter-in-law build a home by cabineting their whole house. He could put any fussy baby to sleep with his singing and had a song for every occasion. He loved to joke with his great grandchildren about his knee replacement surgery being ‘bayonet wounds from the war!’ This and other tricks would, of course, be believed because of his “honest face”. Grandad Ho, we will miss cheating at cards with you. Thanks for the many cups of tea and the laughs.

Private Family Arrangements

Grandad Ho has asked for no formal funeral service. Instead, have a proper cup of tea in a nice teacup and saucer, sing a song, and eat a gingersnap. Private family arrangements have been entrusted to HALIBURTON COMMUNITY FUNERAL HOME, 13523 Hwy 118, Haliburton, Ontario 705-457-9209.

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