Mary Lou (Tyler) Houston

Home Going Celebration

Mother Mary Lou Houston was born December 8, 1924 to the late Garfield Sr. and Fannie Mae Tyler in Water Valley, Mississippi.  She was the eldest of eleven children, of which five preceded her in death; Alice Owens (Richard); Wilson Tyler, Sr. (Bessie); Earl Tyler, Sr. (Lillieruth); Bishop Garfield Tyler, Jr. (Missy Emma Ruth) and Joyce Tyler.

Mother Houston was united in marriage to the late Jordan Houston, Sr. together they were blessed with nine children and a host of grandchildren great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.  They relocated to the Kansas City, Kansas area in 1953.

Mother Houston accepted the Lord at the early age of 8 years old.  When her children were young she was a loving stay at home mom.  Later she began working part-time at Faultless Linen Supply Company, Deluxe Cleaners and other old jobs.  Mother Houston spent most of her professional career working for the Kansas City, Kansas School of the Blind and the Wyandotte County Court House.  Mother Houston was a self-taught woman and was certified by the Kansas Association for the Education of Young Children, as a result she became an instructor for Kansas City Kansas Headstart.

Mother Houston was a dedicated warrior for the Lord. She achieved many accomplishments, but she was most proud of graduating from The Charles Harrison Mason System of Bible Colleges of the C.O.G.I.C. with her teacher certificate in Memphis, Tennessee.  Mother Houston went on to become a licensed Evangelist Missionary in the Kansas East Jurisdiction.  She was an avid prayer warrior and had many prayer partners.  She was a member of the    traveling camera club and became the President of the State Young Women Christian Council (YWCC) plus she served on the Kansas State Mother Board.

Mother Houston was a member of Emmanuel Temple C.O.G.I.C. for 55 years.  She served under the leadership of the late Elder T.L. Pleas and following his demise, she served under the leadership of her son Elder Jerry E. Houston.  She was the church mother and over the years served in a variety of departments.

To carry on her legacy Mother Houston leaves all nine of her children; Rosie Manning (John) of Atlanta, GA; Mattie Wilcox (Apostle Earl Wayne) of Houston, TX; Evangelist Jordan Houston, Jr. (Shirley) of Memphis, TN; Lucy Patterson (Andrew) of Houston, TX; Macie Houston, Elder Jerry E. Houston (Anita); Shirley Houston and Mary Helen Houston all of Shawnee, Kansas; and Kenneth Houston (Tracey) of Buffalo, New York; her siblings, Elder Murl Tyler, Sr. (Edna); Vera Coleman; Missy Macie Martin; Emma McCoy (Ronnie) and Betty Watson; eighteen grandchildren; twenty-four great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends all of whom she loved dearly.

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