HAVERHILL: Leon C. "Carl" Houston, 98, passed away peacefully on June 19, 2020 at Country Center for Health & Rehabilitation in Newburyport. He was the husband of the late Claudia M. (Peabody) Houston to whom he was married for sixty-six years.
Born in Haverhill on July 28, 1921, he was the son of the late Leon R. and Lizzie F. (Carleton) Houston.
Carl was educated in Haverhill and graduated from Haverhill High School, Class of 1939. During WWII Carl served in the South Pacific with the U.S. Navy, and his many awards include the Purple Heart, and Asiatic-Pacific medal with one star. Carl was honorably discharged as Storekeeper in 1946.
Carl served proudly as a member of the Haverhill Fire Department, and attained the rank of Superintendent of Fire Alarms before retiring in 1984 following thirty-three years if faithful service. He continued to work an additional twenty-six years repairing alarm boxes for L.W. Bills Co. in Georgetown.
Carl enjoyed camping in the White Mountains, and family time spent at their trailer in North Beach in Hampton, NH. He maintained his close ties with the fire department serving as a volunteer at the Haverhill Fighting Museum.
Carl is survived by his son, Lawrence "Larry" H. Houston and his wife Lynn of Ashby, MA; grandchildren, Christine Moriarty and husband Brian of Stoneham, David Houston and wife Rhina of Haverhill, Story Vlahos and husband William of Salem, NH; five great grandchildren; sister, Arolyn Rowe of Spokane, WA; daughter-in-law, Carole Houston of Haverhill, and several nieces and nephews. Carl was preceded in death by his son Carleton L. Houston, and brother, Howard E. Houston.
Services at Dole, Childs & Shaw Funeral Home, 148 Main St., Haverhill will be private with interment, with full military honors, at Maplewood North Parish Cemetery. Donations in Carl's memory may be made to the Haverhill Firefighting Museum, 75 Kenoza Ave., Haverhill, MA 01830. Online condolence may be sent to www.dcsfuneralhome.com