William 'Bill' Davidson Houston

It is with heavy, but thankful, hearts that we announce William Davidson Houston is dancing on the streets of gold.  Bill passed from this world to heaven peacefully on October 6, 2025 at the age of 91.

Bill was a cowboy through and through and was seldom seen without his cowboy hat.  He was born and raised on a farm in the Gimlet area. Growing up he helped his parents farm and raise horses, cattle and pigs.  He attended Gimlet School until grade 9 and then completed his high school education at Lindsey Thurber High School in Red Deer. 

Bill had a love of horses from a young age and was one of the first to bring registered Quarter Horses to the area.  In 1957 he started a route to deliver milk from area farms to the C.A.D.P. Condensery plant in Red Deer.

Bill married Lorraine Biswanger on July 3, 1961 and they settled on land close to his parents’ farm.  They started with a dairy herd and then switched to beef and along the way they also had pigs.

Bill and Lorraine were blessed with four children Susan (1962), Shelley (1967), Sherry (1968), and Scott (1970). 

They were very active in the rodeo community, as co-owners of Gimlet Rodeo Company, supplying stock to amateur rodeos.  He had a Pony Chuckwagon team and spent 1973 to 1982 racing throughout Alberta.  In 1982 he traded driving wagons for driving big trucks and along with crude oil, hauled molten sulfur and calcium, working for several companies before hanging up his keys in 2002. 

Bill has been a constant cheerleader for his wife, kids and grandkids in whatever they were involved in.  Sun, rain, sleet or snow he could be counted on to be hunkered down in the stands with a program recording times - he was a master statistician.

Bill was a man of faith who lived what he believed and was active in both the Gimlet Missionary Church and later Withrow Gospel Mission.  His life was the best sermon he ever preached. 

William is survived by Lorraine, his loving wife of 64 years; children Susan (Darcy) Anderson; Shelley (Darcy) Dyrland; Sherry (Darwin) DeLeeuw; grandchildren Dustin Anderson (Karos), Kristin (Mitch) Boomer; Logan (Kimberly) Dyrland; Tyson Dyrland (Samantha); Shayna (Jace) Bleil; Harley-Ann (Josh) Hansma, Pacean DeLeeuw, Hunter DeLeeuw and 5 great grandchildren. He is also survived by one brother, Ivan (Trudy) Houston; and in-laws Larry (Aggie) Biswanger, Fern Bradshaw, Muriel (Hector) Guzman and Ruby Houston as well as numerous extended family and an abundance of friends.

Bill was predeceased by his son Scott Houston (1985); grandson Rhett DeLeeuw (2008), his parents (James and Margaret), in laws (Lawrence and Marie) 4 siblings (Newton, Pam, Morris and Tommy), 4 in-laws (Marilyn Biswanger, Marg Houston, Jack Wild, Ken Bradshaw,), and many other relatives and good friends.

Celebration of Life will be held at the Eckville Community Center on October 21, 2025 at 11 am.  Interment to follow at Bradshaw Cemetery at 4 pm.

Special thanks to the staff at Rimbey Hospital and Dr DeBruyn for the care and concern they showed during the last month of Bill’s life.  They blessed both Bill and his family with their heartfelt care and attention, going above and beyond to make his final days as peaceful and comfortable as possible.   

Memorial Donations can be made directly to Withrow Gospel Mission - Building Fund via e-transfer at wgmfin777@gmail.com or mail to Withrow Gospel Mission RR1 Eckville, AB T0M 0X0  Website: https://www.withrowgospel.com

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