Edward T. Houston

The Rev. Edward T. Houston, 89, of 330 State Road, China Grove, died Sunday, May 22, 2005, at NorthEast Medical Center. Funeral services will be conducted at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, 2005, at First Wesleyan Church in Kannapolis. The Rev. Steve Beam, the Rev. Trent Patterson, Dr. Forbis Kivett and the Rev. Wayne Preusz will officiate. Interment will follow at West Lawn Memorial Park in China Grove. The body will remain at Lady's Funeral Home until taken to the church 30 minutes prior to the service. The family will receive friends from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday at Lady's Funeral Home in Kannapolis. At other times, they will be at the residence. Born May 12, 1916, in Southport, he was the son of the late Cornelia Blackburn Carr. He was a graduate of Allentown Bible Institute in Allentown, PA. He was a Wesleyan minister and formerly pastored Pilgrim Holiness Church in Woodbury, NJ, Pilgrim Holiness Church in Stroudsburg, PA, North Kannapolis Wesleyan Church in Kannapolis, First Wesleyan Church in Burlington, and retired in 1983 from Mebane Wesleyan Church in Mebane. Following his retirement, he moved to this area and was a member of North Kannapolis Wesleyan Church. He also served as president of Camp Wesley from 1992 to 1997. He was preceded in death by his wife, Gladys Hughes Houston, on March 10, 2003; and a daughter, Lisa Anne Houston. Survivors include a daughter, Merle K. Meckes and her husband, Roland P. Meckes of China Grove; four grandchildren, Dee Efird of China Grove, Beth Carlton of Mooresville, Paul Meckes, Jr. of Myrtle Beach, SC and Edward "Chip" Meckes of China Grove; and four great-grandchildren, Brent Efird, Laura Anne Carlton, Katie Carlton and Wesley Meckes. Memorials may be sent to North Kannapolis Wesleyan Church, 314 West 12th Street, Kannapolis, NC 28081. The family expresses thanks to the staff of Liberty Commons in Salisbury for their love and care the past year.