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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
HOUSTON, Michael Todd - It is with heavy hearts we announce the very sudden passing of (Michael) Todd Houston at the age of 58. He is survived by his loving wife Rose and their daughters Irene (Sam), Janey and Anna; parents David and Heather Houston; two sisters Lori (Kevin) and Lisa; nieces Kylie (Kevin), Rheanne (Josh) and Lauren; nephew JD; and the latest member of his extended family, his great nephew Sawyer.
Todd grew up in Chemainus, BC, on Vancouver Island. After high school, he studied culinary arts at Malaspina College and was able to pass on some very valuable skills to his mother, the most memorable being how to de-bone a cornish game hen! Upon graduation from Malaspina, he moved to Vancouver and spent the year of Expo 86 cooking at a restaurant, followed by a year in a Calgary restaurant. Todd was an avid skier in those days, so he also spent a winter at Sunshine Village in Banff, where he got to ski for free while cooking in the staff cafeteria. He had so many stories and memorable times from those days.
In 1988, he joined the Royal Canadian Navy and served for 3 years on the HMCS Saskatchewan, which seemed fitting since he was born in Regina, SK. After his discharge from the Navy, he began work in the construction industry, culminating in certification as a journeyman cement mason. In this capacity, he worked for Win Van Paving, Lafarge and most recently, B & B Contracting. He was a hard worker, never refused overtime and was extremely dedicated. He was fiercely loyal to his employers and co-workers and built lifelong friendships along the way.
Todd always had a wanderer's spirit and a desire to see the world, and his time in the Navy served to spark that desire even more. He took several solo vacations to Mexico, Central America, Australia, Thailand and Vietnam, and it was while vacationing in Vietnam in 2010 that he met his wife Rose. After their initial meeting, he subsequently made multiple trips to Vietnam and finally, he and Rose were married in Da Nang in January of 2012. They then began the process of bringing Rose, Irene, Janey and Anna to Canada, and in April of 2015, all of them arrived and were welcomed into the family with open arms. The girls have now all received their Canadian Citizenship and are proud Vietnamese Canadians. Todd's eldest daughter Irene was recently married to the love of her life, Sam, and you couldn't find a prouder father.
Todd was incredibly smart, an avid reader, and always in search of knowledge, experience and adventure. He was a huge fan of Boxing and Muay Thai as a spectator as well as a practicing participant. He travelled to Vietnam and Thailand as often as he could to train, and for some reason loved to spend time getting beaten up at his favourite gym in Thailand. He also had his own gym set up in his parent's garage and went there at least 5 days a week to work out/train. His nephew JD has now expressed an interest in carrying on the Boxing tradition and that would make Todd so proud.
Todd's family all live in the Lower Mainland, and Todd's parents and siblings within blocks of each other. Every family birthday and seasonal celebration is attended by all 16 family members, and there will be a significant void left by Todd's passing - he was often the life of the party, his laugh ringing out the loudest of all.
A Celebration of Todd's life will be held at a later date - date and location to be advised.
Donations can be made in his name to The Kidney Foundation of Canada or the Heart & Stroke Foundation. (The Delta Optimist 01 Sep 2022)
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