Mildred Bernice Sherzer Houghton

Our beloved mother, Mildred Bernice (Sherzer) Houghton, left this world peacefully on August 8, 2022 at the age of 92 in Goode, VA.

She is predeceased by her husband of 65 years, Gerald Houghton, in 2014, her parents Russell Miller Sherzer and Laura Beal Sherzer, and her brother Richard Sherzer.

She is survived by her son Rob Houghton and wife Barbara of Durham, NC, her son Jon Houghton and wife Helen of Raleigh, NC and daughter Diana Hobson and husband Greg of Lynchburg, VA. Mildred is also survived by grandchildren Elizabeth Houghton of Raleigh, NC, Grant Houghton of Wilmington, NC, Jason Houghton and wife Ashley of Springfield, VA, Michelle Houghton of Charlotte, NC, Sandra Hobson of Dunwoody, GA, Jake Hobson and wife Meghan of Lynchburg, VA, and Chad Hobson and wife Ashlie of Leesburg, VA, She is also survived by great grandchildren Logan Houghton and Aubrey Houghton of Springfield, VA and Noah Hobson of Leesburg, VA.

She grew up in Franklin, OH where she took great pride in being on her high school’s medal-winning debate team. She attended The Ohio State University where she was majoring in mathematics. She met Gerald Houghton while at school and they were married in 1949. They lived in England (where Rob was born), Scotland, Pittsburgh, PA (where Jon and Diana were born), Tallahassee, FL, and Gold Hill, NC. In 2014, she moved to Lynchburg, VA to live with Diana and Greg who provided a wonderful home for her until she required around the clock care. At this point, they found a very loving and caring small senior home at which she was able to rest comfortably for her remaining two and a half years.

Mildred loved her family and always made sure that we had a safe and nurturing environment to grow up in. She enjoyed all sorts of crafts and hobbies such as painting, cross-stitch, making ornaments, sewing, fishing, gardening, reading, playing the piano, listening to anything by Gilbert & Sullivan, and, of course, lots of puzzles. Most impressively, she built the majority of her house and ran the family sheep farm in Gold Hill, NC. On vacations, she went white water rafting, horse-back riding, flew in a glider, hiked in the Sierra Nevada mountains, attended film festivals, among many other activities. She loved a challenge.

Our mother also loved her church family and Mt. Zion Lutheran Church. She attended church and Sunday school every day that she feasibly could. She was heavily involved with Sunday school, vacation bible school, women’s group, and various committees. She was also involved in Lutheran Church Women and Women of the ELCA beyond the congregation. She loved to reminisce about the church retreats that she went on.

A special thanks to Kim Moisa and the staff at Noah’s Landing in Goode, VA for their loving care of our mother in the recent years.

A celebration of life will be held at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church at 2pm on Saturday, August 20, 2022.

Tharp Funeral Home, Lynchburg is assisting the family.