Jean Houck Passes Away

Jean Tryon Bowen Houck  

(Age 93)  

Of Charlotte, NC, passed away on May 26, 2018, at Waltonwood Providence Senior Living Community. 

    She was married to the late James H. Bowen for 41 years, from 1947 until his death in 1988. She was married to the late Fletcher Leroy Houck for 17 years, from 1994 until his death in 2011. Jean was born on May 22, 1925 in Washington, DC to the late Wesley Merritt Tryon and Sylvia Ruth Tryon. She was also preceded in death by her brother, Max Tryon. She lived in Washington, DC until 1955, when she and Jim Bowen moved their young family to Rockville, MD. She lived in Rockville until 1994, when she married Roy Houck and moved to Davidsonville, MD. Following Roy's death in 2011, she moved to Charlotte, NC, to be close to her daughter.

    Jean attended public schools in Washington, DC and graduated from the University of Maryland in Home Economics in 1947. She taught food services in Washington, DC until her children were born. Jean's passion was flowers. She was a Master Gardener, an award-winning flower arranger, and a master flower show judge. She shared her talents with flowers and gardens with family and her many friends.

    She is survived by her children, Bonnie Bowen (Rolf Koford) of Portal, AZ, Deborah Bowen Leser (Kevin) of Charlotte, NC, and Steven Bowen of Germantown, MD. Jean had five grandchildren, Ryan Collins (Mary), Amelia Koford (Adam Kirsch), Tony Koford (Kaci McCleary), Jamie Bowen, and Kevin Fantacci (Laura). She also had five great-grandchildren.

    At a later date, there will be a Celebration of Life and a private service and inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery, where James Bowen rests. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Nature Conservancy (http://www.nature.org), the Friends of the National Arboretum (https://www.fona.org/donate/), or a . Please note in memory of Jean Bowen Houck.