Robert N. Houston

Robert Norman Houston, age 98, of 124 Tower View Circle, Danville, and formerly of Bloomsburg,  passed away surrounded by his family in his home on Saturday November 12, 2022.

Born in New Castle to the late Victor Alexander Houston and Edith Claire (McGaffick) Houston, Bob graduated from Northampton High School in 1942 and entered Penn State University.

He served in the US Army Air Force during World War II from 1943 to 1946 in England and Germany. He graduated from Penn State with a degree in Animal Husbandry in 1949, where he was a member of the Westminster Fellowship, the Livestock Judging Team, and the Block and Bridle Club.

Before becoming the Agricultural Extension Agent in Columbia County in 1965, Bob served as Assistant Farm Agent in Schuykill County; Farm Manager at Nittany Farms, State College PA; and Farm Manager at Magee Farms, Bloomsburg, PA. As County Agent, Bob was well known to area farmers, overseeing Penn State Universities extension services in agriculture, home economics and 4-H. He was president of the Pennsylvania County Agents Association and active in the National County Agent Association before retiring in 1987.

Bob married Margaret (Peggy) Savannah Paxton in 1950. Bob and Peggy were active members in the Bloomsburg First Presbyterian Church. Bob was on the Board of Directors of Millville Mutual Insurance Company; a Rotarian; and volunteered with the Salvation Army and AGAPE. After retirement Bob lead the Columbia County Crop Improvement Association and directed the Bloomsburg Municipal Sewage Authority’s sludge spreading program.

Bob enjoyed travel and with family and friends made many hikes of the Grand Canyon. He raised sheep for many years and in 2007 moved to the Meadows, Danville prior to the death of Peggy.

Survivors include three children: Nancy Lynn Hanson of Sumas WA; Sue Houston of Bowling Green OH; and Lorie (James) Dillon of Bloomsburg; grandchildren Matthew Bolze, Kaitlin Rankin, Jesse Hanson, Kelsey Bolze, Lizzy Biyani, Connor Dillon and Thomas Dillon; greatgrandchildren Linnea Rankin, Wyatt Rankin, Cora Hanson and Susie Rankin.

Memorial Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 19, 2022 in the First Presbyterian Church, 345 Market St., Bloomsburg, with his former pastor, Rev. Stephen L. Cureton, officiating. Visitation will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, November 18, at the Dean W. Kriner Inc. Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 325 Market St., Bloomsburg.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Lupus Research Alliance, 270 Madison Avenue, Suite 300, New York, NY 10016.