HOUSTON, Johnny Jerome, Jr.

Johnny Jerome Houston, Jr. Jul 30, 1959 – Mar 3, 2016 Minister Johnny Jerome Houston, Jr. was born on Thursday, July 30, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois to Bishop John Houston, Sr. and Mother Mary Houston. Minister Houston was the youngest boy, and the second to youngest child of eight children. Although he was born a very sickly child, God completely healed him. Minister Houston attended Rider Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois. He was a quiet and good-natured child who loved comic books so much that he collected them. A sibling described the enormity of his comic book collection as “ridiculous,” so much so that his brothers burned them. Speed Racer was his favorite cartoon and “Rocky” was his favorite movie. On Thursday, April 1, 1971, a few months before his twelfth birthday, Minister Johnny Houston was baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and filled with the precious gift of the Holy Ghost at Morgan Park Assembly in Chicago under District Elder Moore. As a youth, he attended his father, Bishop John Houston, Sr.’s church, Apostolic Christian Assembly in Decatur, Illinois. He was an amazing young man. From the moment he received the Holy Ghost, he lived a life of holiness and demonstrated a life of love and worship to the Lord. He was called to the ministry as a teenager. Minister Houston also had a funny side and shared a special bond with his sister, Nettie, as they were the youngest two of the eight siblings. He loved cookies and making his nieces and nephews laugh. He even had a special dance called the “funky gibbon” that he would dance to at the drop of a hat. In church, when the Spirit hit him, that dance would transform into a spin we called “the tornado.” Minister Houston graduated from Eisenhower High School in Decatur, Illinois in 1977. In 1981, he met his adoring wife-to-be, Leisa Green, at a Women’s Convention in South Bend, Indiana. Johnny and Leisa courted for six short weeks and were married on May 16, 1981. With the blessing of his new wife came also an eighteen-month-old daughter, named Andrise Renee, whom he raised as his own. They were also blessed to have two sons—Johnny Jerome, III and Stephen LaMar. Minister Houston began his career at Sears in the retail industry and was a faithful worker even after he moved to Omaha, Nebraska in 1997. He also worked at Home Goods and Best Buy until medical issues forced him to retire in 2014. Working with and helping others in his professional career afforded him the opportunity to use his God-given talents. He was committed to spreading the truth and message of Jesus to the masses and was a dedicated laborer in the Body of Christ. He worked tirelessly in prison ministry, both in Decatur and in Omaha. He was a devoted gift to the body of Christ, serving in many capacities—as a minister, passionate intercessor, janitor and everything in between. Whatsoever Minister Houston’s hands found to do in the house of the Lord, he did with all his might and without a mumbling word. He was preceded in death by his father, Bishop John Houston, Sr.; his grandmother, Evelyn Dyson; sisters, Lorraine Houston, Laverne Carr-Penny, Christine Walker-Kitchen, and Cynthia Houston; nieces: Lakrisha Houston, Mary Houston Starks, and Ariana Carr; and nephew, Johnny Jerome Kofi-Carr. He leaves to cherish his memory, his devoted wife of thirty-four years, Leisa Houston; a daughter, Andrise; two sons, Johnny III and Stephen; his mother, Mary Houston; a sister, Nettie Houston; brothers, Ricardo Houston (Lisa), all of Omaha, NE, Bishop Robert Houston (Evang. Monica) of Decatur, Illinois; a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives; and Bishop and Lady Lance R. Foster and the New Hope Apostolic Temple family. VISITATION begins Saturday, March 12th, 10am to 11am at New Hope Apostolic Temple, 6124 No. 99th St., followed by HOMEGOING SERVICE at 11am. Memorials will be directed by the family.

HEAFEY-HOFFMANN DWORAK & CUTLER Mortuaries and Crematories 5108 F Street Omaha, Nebraska 68117 (402) 391-3900