header 1
header 2
header 3

IN MEMORY

Mary Lou Houghton (Reis) - Class Of 1948

Mary Lou Houghton Reis "Chickie" passed away at home on Friday, May 28, 2004 at the age of 73.   She was born October 14, 1930, the daughter of Dr. Ralph and Mrs. Jennie Wilhelmy Houghton of Kenosha, WI.  Mary Lou graduated from Mary D. Bradford High School in Kenosha, WI, attended the University of Wisconsin and graduated in 1952 from Barat College of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest, IL with a degree in sociology.  

Mary Lou was an accomplished artist and seamstress, making all of her own clothes, and won first prize for a quilt at a MD quilt show.  Her interests also included gardening, genealogy, travel, Civil War history and NASCAR races.  She was a member of the Academy of Lifelong Learning and an active member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) for over 40 years.  At St. John the Beloved School, she volunteered in the library, repairing books, for 28 years. “Chickie” was extremely active in Girl Scouts for 63 years as a scout, a leader and eventually training leaders.  She was the founder of the Alumni Friends of Scouting, an organization that was founded to support wider opportunities in scouting.  Chickie was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Houghton; and a grandson, Joseph Reis.

She is survived by her husband of 51 years, Dr. Paul George Reis; and children, Robert G. and his wife, Phyllis, of Parkesburg, PA, Richard C. and his wife, Debra, of Phoenixville, PA, Kitty Reis Coughlan and her husband, James, of Fairfax, DE, Michael P. of Wilmington, DE, Betsy Reis Zehnder and her husband, Barry, of Middletown, DE, Thomas E. of Portsmouth, NH and James B. and his fiancée, Meegan, of Eliot, ME.  She is also survived by 9 grandchildren, Lynn, Michael, Cindy, Jennie, Debby, David, Cathy, Thomas, Patty; and 2 brothers, Thomas J. Houghton of Kenosha, WI and William Houghton of San Antonio, TX.

Visitation and a Mass of Christian Burial took place on Wednesday, June 2, 2004 at St. John the Beloved Church, followed by interment at All Saints Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Alumni Friends of Scouting, c/o Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay, 501 S. College Ave., Newark, DE 19713.