Capt. William M. Houk MD USN {ret}

Capt. William M. Houk MD USN (ret) of Walkersville died on Saturday, December 9, 2006 at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore with his wife and family members at his side.

Born on October 23, 1940 in Cleveland, OH, William Bill Michael Houk was the son of the late Dr. John W. and Mary O'Brien Houk of Shaker Heights, OH. An outgoing and high-achieving youth, he participated in leading roles in the Shaker Children's Theater and was recruited to perform regularly on WGAR Cleveland radio's 'Fairy Tale Theater'.

An accomplished brass musician, he participated in school ensembles, marched with the Air National Guard Band in Memorial Day Parades, and won numerous awards for solo and ensemble excellence. He was twice selected to perform with the All-Ohio Boys Band under the direction of the noted conductor, Frederick Fennell.

In addition, he was active in the Air Scouts and served as a student manager/trainer of his football and basketball teams in high school. After graduation from Shaker Heights High School in 1958, he briefly attended Heidelberg College in Tiffin, OH before setting his sights on a medical career. Upon completing his pre-med training at the University of Loyola, New Orleans, he received his medical training at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. At this time he met and married his first wife, Marietta Riedel Houk.

The Navy was a natural choice for Bill Houk. He loved flying; he loved doctoring. His personal mission was always to provide the best care possible to those who served with him no matter the circumstances or the location. To this end he began his military career as a Navy Flight Surgeon. During the Viet Nam War while assigned to the carrier USS America, he earned the Navy Air Medal (two stars) and the Meritorious Service Medal (three gold stars) among other honors. He later returned to the Navy Flight Training School in Pensacola, FL as an instructor of Flight Surgeons before being assigned as the Director of the Navy Aerospace Medical Research Labs (NAMRL) for several years. Captain Houk was the chief commissioning medical officer of the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower and served through the ship's initial shake-down cruises and early assignments overseas. While based in Bethesda, MD, Capt. Houk was involved in the deployment of Navy medical staff and services for Operation Desert Storm. He completed his navy service as a member of the Defense Medical Standardization Board based at Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, working with medical officers and staff from all branches of the military to assure each branch's ability to rapidly deploy medical staff and supplies to any global location and environment.

Since his military retirement, Captain Houk made his home in Frederick, and then, Walkersville, MD where he worked in Corporate Occupational Health Services and Occupational Health Services Clinics in the Frederick area.

On December 24, 1999, he married Nancy Katherine Anderson Valenti and established a home in Walkersville in which the newly-merged family of ten could congregate.

Captain Houk is remembered as a dedicated man who honored - in this order - God, family, and country above all else, and whose generous and loving spirit - as well as his laughter and wit - brought great joy and, sometimes, exasperation, to those who knew him.

Captain Houk is survived by his wife of seven years, Nancy Katherine Houk of Walkersville, MD; his sons: John W. Houk of Gulf Breeze, FL; Michael Houk and wife, Kristina Uzun of Silver Spring, MD; Stephen R. Houk of Walkersville; daughters: Christin Houk Neels and husband, James, of Gulf Breeze, FL; Melissa Houk Calvert and husband, Scott, of Pensacola, FL; step-children: Lisa Nicole Valenti; Benjamin Michael Valenti and wife, Betsy; Elizabeth Ann Valenti; Michael Christopher Valenti; Daniel Bryan Valenti, all of Walkersville; a brother: John W. Houk III of Noblesville, IN; sisters: Lisa Houk Wamsley and husband, Richard, of Twinsburg, OH and Sara F. Houk of Acton, MA; an uncle, Captain Frank O'Brien USN (ret) and wife, Edie, of Sykesville, MD; seven grandchildren and many nieces and nephews; his first wife, Marietta Riedel Houk of Pensecola, FL.

His father, Dr. John W. Houk, MD; his mother, Mary O'Brien Houk; and a sister, Margaret Houk King, preceded him in passing

Visitation: The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 PM and 7 to 9 PM on Friday, January 5, 2007 at Stauffer Funeral Home, 1621 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick.

Services: A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, January 6, 2007 at 10 AM at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, Thurmont, MD. Interment with full military honors will take place at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at 3 PM.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in Captain Houk's name to the St. Anthony Shrine, 16150 St. Anthony Road, Emmitsburg, MD 21727 or Disabled American Veterans (DAV), P.O. BOX 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301, Attn: Gift Processing.