Donald Melvin Houpt, Jr.

Don Houpt passed away peacefully on September 2, in Vero Beach, Florida. A memorial service will be held on Friday, September 24 at 11:00 a.m. at the Community Church of Vero Beach. Born in Palestine, Illinois, he was the fourth of the four children of Don and Ruth Houpt, having outlived his siblings Harriet, James (Jim) and Jeannette. He is survived by his wife of seventy years, JoAnn Unsell Houpt; his children Carolyn Antenen (Jay), Diane Laruccia (John), Don Houpt III (Ana) and Emily Houpt Zelek (Victor) as well as grandchildren Jay Antenen, Susanna Laruccia (Eddie Seelig), Antonia Laruccia Van Ness (Andy), Donald Antenen (Erin), Henry Antenen (Maisha), Eleanor Zelek, Dylan Houpt, Kristen Houpt, and Louisa Zelek. He has two great grandchildren, Hazel and Elise Antenen. Don grew up in a small town where he worked at his father's bakery, and was active on the sports teams of Palestine High School. He reminisced about going to the senior prom for four years in a row, since the older boys had left to serve in the war. He attended Knox College and the University of Illinois, earning Bachelor and Master of Science degrees. He held various executive positions in steel companies in Illinois and Minnesota, and served as investor, board director and consultant to several companies, culminating with becoming the owner of a steel fabricating and service company in St. Paul. After moving to John's Island Florida in 1979, he and his wife became owners and dynamic managers of Prestige Travel Agency. He also was a Director of the local PNC Trust Company. Don enjoyed an active life; golf, tennis and skiing were enthusiastic pursuits. First learning at age 30, he fell in love with skiing and soon was driving the entire family to the Porcupine Mountains (a.k.a. The Porkies) in northern Michigan. Later, the family was trekking across the plains and over the 12,000 foot Dillon Pass to ski the Rockies. In 1970, he became a founding investor of Keystone Ski Resort. Upon retirement from business, he delightedly spent a season as the oldest ski instructor at that resort saying, "I've made it, I finally reached my goal of being a ski 'bum'!" In Vero Beach, he founded the Treasure Coast Ski and Adventure Club and guided small groups to ski spots around the globe. Don liked people--as a niece said, "he never met a stranger". The travel agency provided the opportunity to gather old and new friends to enjoy numerous luxury cruises all over the world. Back at home, Don and JoAnn were founding members of a dinner-dance group, Club Fifty, and spent many pleasurable nights on the dance floor. But Don's life was about much more than having fun. It was balanced with charitable donations and community activities. Working together with JoAnn, some of these included the county's United Way campaign and being a fund-raiser and sponsor of the Vero Beach Museum of Art. Over the years, he was intensively involved with advocating for the hospital (now Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital) through work with the Indian River Medical Foundation, being the only person serving as member of the hospital district, chairman of the foundation, and a member of the board of directors. Don and JoAnn were among the first to become members of the Eagle Society and Legacy Society. In recognition of his efforts, Don was named a member of the Foundation's Honorary Board. In his later years, Don and JoAnn were guardians ad litem for children in the Florida court system--a task they were both passionate about. Don loved music and singing. As a youth, with his father, he played cornet in Palestine and surrounding towns six nights a week during the summers and also played in the University of Illinois marching band. While there he was president of the Men's Glee Club. He sang tenor in church choirs for over 75 years. His family has happy memories of singing together on long car trips, always starting with the 'count off' and the "Houpt Family Song''. In 1984, Don was a member of the Vero Beach Choral Society's founding Board of Directors. In 1991, he was thrilled to participate with the VBCS in the Bridges of Song Festival for Peace in Tallinn, Estonia. Ever an optimist, who could forget his energetic rendition of his signature song, "Sunny Side of the Street '' or directing the "Stars and Stripes Forever '' at the hospital May Pops concerts? In his 2018 Christmas letter, he wryly wrote: "When I read the obituaries and notice more names younger than me, I realize I am on a descending slope. Rather than dwell on this rather dour thought, this Christmas season, my overriding thoughts turn to the birth of Jesus who brought us peace, joy and hope for peace. Possessions and money do not warm our hearts. Love of family, friends, and Jesus do. Merry Christmas!" For many years Don kept a small cartoon of a stick figure sitting on top of the globe who said, "I hope I know what this whole show is about before it is out." Among his papers, he wrote, "I think I know what it is about…..It is not what you leave behind--wealth or possessions, but who you leave behind and what they are…..You are my beloved family. I am proud of you." In lieu of flowers, the Houpt family would be be grateful for donations to: Cleveland Clinic Indian River Foundation 1000 37th Place, Suite 101 Vero Beach, FL 32960 Tel.: 772-226-4960