Ronald F. Huston

Ronald F. Huston

August 5, 1937 – August 26, 2018

Ronald Francis Huston was born in Omaha, NE and was the son of Harold W. Huston and Bernice Huston (Turinsky) growing up in the Benson area of the city.  As Ron reached his teens, he began attending Augustana Lutheran Church where he met his future wife Janice Plath Huston and many other life-long friends during youth club activities.  This proved to be a great decision as they enjoyed nearly 60 years of marriage and raised a family of three boys after dating in high school and enrolling at Dana College together after high school.

Being the son of a sporting goods salesman and long-time referee, Ron was very interested at a young age with anything having to do with sports.  He was quite an athlete and excelled in baseball at Benson High School where he graduated in 1955.  After enrolling at Dana College, Ron made an immediate impact on their basketball, baseball, and golf teams.  He was selected to the All-Conference teams on numerous occasions throughout his college career.  As a senior in 1959, Ron was selected as Athlete of the Year for Dana and later inducted into the Dana Sports Hall of Fame in 1983.

After college, Ron joined Scott Paper Company as a salesman and found soon thereafter that his true calling was teaching, coaching, and athletics.  So, in 1961 Ron found his first teaching position at McMillan Junior High and then, in 1963, joined Westside Community Schools as a teacher and coach at Arbor Heights Junior High (now Westside Middle School).  He then moved to the High School in 1965 as a World History and Sociology teacher and served as Head Baseball Coach for many years, the JV Basketball coach, and an assistant coach in football.  After serving as a counselor, he was promoted to administration and served as Athletic and Activities Director for 17 years from 1976 to 1992 where he presided over a very successful athletic program.  He was a former President of the NSIAA and was also awarded the Nebraska Athletic Director of the Year in 1986.  In 1995, two years before his retirement from education, Ron received the Nebraska Schools Activities Distinguished Service Award for outstanding service to the state.  This is the highest award given by the NSAA.  Later in 1997 Ron was named “Admiral” in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska which is Nebraska’s highest honor, and a title bestowed upon individuals by approval of the Governor of Nebraska.  In 2011, Ron was inducted into the Westside High School Athletic Hall of Fame for his contributions to the school and their sports programs.

After a 37 year career in education, Ron decided it was time for retirement in 1997 and then made homes with his wife Janice in both Omaha and Surprise, Arizona where they concentrated for nearly 20 years on spending more time with their three children and spouses, their twelve grandchildren, one great-grandchild, golfing, and relaxation. Ron always said that “my family is my true gift and the more time I can spend with them, the better.”

Ron was truly blessed with a great ability to communicate well with others and at the same time had a great sense of humor which made it very easy for people to sit down and talk with him about any and all subject matter both serious and light-hearted.  His advice and counseling over the years helped thousands of people, both young and older, get pointed in the right direction in their lives.  For that and many other things we are very thankful.  We will all miss him very much.

We love you Pop!!!  It is now time to join Nana in heaven.

Ron was preceded in death by his wife, Janice Plath Huston; sister, Sandra Huston Appel.  He is survived by his sons: Craig (Cindi), Curtis (Siri), and Mark (Deb); his grandchildren: Nate Huston, Alexa Huston (Ricky Alfonso), Jude Thorson, Austin Poust, Chandler Poust, Carly Raridon, and Ava Raridon (Craig’s children), Natalie Huston and Jacob Huston (Curtis’ children); Matt Walker, Zach Huston (Bailey Lingren), and Miranda Huston (Mark’s children); great-grandchild, Lilly Walker; brothers-in-law, Norman Plath (Marilyn) and Gordon Appel.

SERVICES: Thursday, September 6^th at 11am at the West Center Chapel.  Memorials are suggested to Augustana Lutheran Church in Omaha.