CATHERINE MURRAY HOUGHTON was born on
May 20, 1925 in Ranger, TX to parents Walter and
Blanche (Talley) Murray and passed away in Dec. of
2023, with burial in Restland Memorial Park at
Dallas, TX.
She was the third of four daughters: Doris, Mavis,
Catherine and Marilyn. Her parents were publishers
of newspapers throughout Texas and also in the oil
business. She attended Ranger High School in the
Class of 1942. In school Catherine fell in love
with Bill Houghton (RHS-1940), who also grew up
in Ranger. They were married in 1947, when Bill
returned from WWII. They moved to Breckenridge
where Jan and Deborah, their two daughters, were
born.
In 1953, they moved their family to Mineral Wells,
TX and were the publishers of the Mineral Wells
Index, Palo Pinto Star and Strawn Tribune. They
were very involved in the community & had lifelong
friends there. In 1997, they moved to Dallas, TX
to be near their daughters.
Catherine was an avid and serious bridge player
all of her life. She excelled in Duplicate Bridge.
Catherine and Bill joined Prestonwood Baptist
Church and made many dear friends. They enjoyed
their life in Dallas with their daughters and
grandchildren. When Bill passed away in 2011,
Catherine soon moved to Highland Springs Retire-
ment Community for 6 years. Six weeks prior to
her passing, she moved into her daughter, Jan's
home. She passed peacefully in her new favorite
chair, that her good friend, Micky Ivy had given
to her.
Catherine is survived by her daughters Jan Smith
and Deborah Arnold and her husband Frank Grassler;
grandchildren Cathi Hohlt and her husband Kevin,
Cindy Harris & her husband Robert, Jerry B. Smith
Jr., Brison Arnold, Kate Slaughter and her husband
Nathan; great-grandchildren Megan Harris and her
husband Dan, Brittany Hohlt and her husband Arnold,
Ocean Smith, Samuel Harris, Van, Luke and Ford
Slaughter.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband
Bill Houghton, son-in-law Jerry Smith, sisters Doris
Murray Rawlin. (RHS-1930), Mavis Murray Smith (RHS-
1936) and Marilyn Murray Hickey (RHS-1945).