Obit.Cherokee County,OK Mack Houston ================================================================================ USGenWeb NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free Information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ====================================================== Submitted by grand niece Willora Glee Van Osdol-Krapf on 4/14/2004 CHEROKEE COUNTY PIONEER MACK HOUSTON DEAD AT 93 Mack Houston, lifelong resident of Cherokee County, died Monday (25 May 1981) at the W.W. Hastings Hospital in Tahlequah. Houston attributed his long life to clean living. he spent the last few years in the Davis Nursing Home where his outlook on life was a testimony to all who met him. [While staying there he shared a room with Walter Neel] Services will be Wednesday (27 May 1981) at 2 p.m. in Reed-Culver Funeral Chapel with Rev. Bob Tompkins officiating. Burial will be in Tahlequah city Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Howard Humphrey, Charlie Durham, Sam Garroute, Roy Morrison, A.D. Wordard and John Lamon. Houston was born October 11, 1887, in Gideon, Indian Territory. He married Pearl Jane Neel who preceded him in death on July 13, 1977. Houston started barbering in Hulbert in 1918 and operated the Cherokee Barbor Shop on North Muskogee Ave in Tahlequah from 1919 until his retirement in 1974. Until the day of his retirement Houston walked to and from his home on Janet Street to his barber shop. After auto accident in his early youth, Houston never owned or drove an automobile. Before retiring, Houston became known throughout Oklahoma as the oldest barber in the state still practicing barbering. he believed in giving his customers their money's worth when he cut their hair. He related stories of early Oklahoma history to all who were interested remembering dates and names in great detail. He was an original enrollee of the Daws Commission. Houston was baptized in 1940 and in 1945 he founded the General Baptist Church in Tahlequah. He was a deacon of the church until his death. Survivors include his son Leonard Mack Houston of Tahlequah; his daughter, Elois Barber of Tahlequah; two half sisters, Maggie Leach of Salina, and Jessie Mize of Wagoner; 5 grand children; 11 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren [There is a picture included of Mack Houston in the article] From an article that appeared in a Tahlequah newspaper Caption under a picture that went with the article. Veteran hair-cutter- Mack Houston, who has been a barber in Tahlequah for 50 year, still sharpens a straight razor on a strap while he visits with customers. In mirror can be seen the name of his business on the front wendow - Cherokee Barber shop. [article was done about 1971] COMMON SENSE HAIRCUTS TAHLEQUAH - More than 52 years ago Mack Houston learned to cut hair "on a block behind the smokehouse" and later moved to town and took up the trade to put his children through school. " I gave them an education with comb and sissors," remembers the man who went to work in a barber shop 52 years ago and later started his own business --- where he still cuts hair almost 50 years later. Houston, 83, is still giving what he calls "common sense" haircuts in his Cherokee Barber Shop here and doesn't have any plans about retirement. Reared at Blue Springs, now the community of Gideon, Houston, part Cherokee Indian, quit farming and went to work in a Hulbert shop in 1918 and soon after opened his shop in Tahlequah. "At that time it was hard to get children in to school," he reflects. "When my boy reached school age I would have had to carry him to school on a horse. So I moved to town." And Houston gave his two children the education he planned on, His dauthter graduated at Northeastern State College here and is now a teacher and his son, Leonard, also attended college and is in the sales business here. "When I first went to work I cut hair for 20 cents," he says "Then it graduated up to 25 cents. I've made more money cutting hair for 25 cents than I make now at $1.75 --- there were more customers." An Oklahoma City resident, a former customer at Houston's shop, one brought in his small son for his first haircut --- and to sit on the same board he had sat on for his first trim. Houston also has the same razor strap he started out with -- "but it's about worn out." And he's heard plenty of jokes and philosophy, he says --- "from politics on up. Barber shop news, I call it." [Uncle Mack was one of the sweetest men who ever walked this earth. He loved the Lord and someday I will be with him in glory. Willora Glee Van Osdol-Krapf his grand niece.]