Minerva Arline Houck (Wiessinger)

Minerva Arline Houck was born to Sarah and John Wiessinger of Anna Ohio on December 31, 1925 and raised on the family farm. A high-school cheerleader, she worked her way through college (including as a ‘Rosie the Riveter’ during WWII), graduating with a BA in business from Capital University. On November 28, 1948, she married the Rev. John Roland Houck Sr. and raised four boys while serving as secretary at St. Michael Lutheran Church, Perry Hall MD. Moving to various other ministry locations, she ran a secretarial service (including work for author Rachel Carson), taught business skills in public schools, and finished her teaching career as the Dean of the Betty Owens School of NYC. John and Minerva retired to the Baltimore area where she initiated quilting groups at both St. Michael Lutheran Church in Perry Hall and Oak Crest Village retirement community, distributing thousands of quilts over the years to refugees and people in need. In 2009 she was inducted into the Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame, an organization “dedicated to honoring senior citizens of the State of Maryland who have made exemplary contributions to society.” Minerva loved gardening, sewing. and visiting with her children and grandchildren. She laughed a lot, loved gently but firmly, and almost always succeeded in not being the center of attention. Preceded in death by her husband John and grandchildren Michael and Sarah, Minerva is survived by sister Annie; sons John Jr (Sally) of Edmond, OK, James of Sterling VA, David of Milpitas, CA, and Paul (Julie) of Farmington, MN; plus grandchildren Paul (Lisa), Beth (Phil), Mark (Peggy), Mary, Eleanor and Sebastian; great-grandchildren Hannah, Ella, Jonah, Noah, Kyle and Zachary, and many beloved nieces and nephews. Viewing is at E.F. Lassahn Funeral Home, P.A. Kingsville, Tuesday, November 19, 2019, 3-5 pm and 7-9 pm; Funeral Service at St. Michael Lutheran Church, 9534 Belair Road Baltimore, MD 21236 on Wednesday, November 20, 2019 at 11 am. Memorials can be made to Lutheran World Relief, Make Mission Quilts at https://lwr.org/quilts