Stanley Coleman Houston

Stanley Coleman Houston, Sr. died Monday, November 6, 2023 at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Dothan following a brief illness. A funeral service will be held at First Baptist Church in Blakely on Thursday, November 9 at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Lyle Brackin officiating. The family will receive friends and family on Wednesday, November 8 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Manry Jordan Hodges Funeral Home in Blakely. Mr. Houston was the youngest child of the late Homer Cyrus Houston and Laura Emma Mock Houston, born on March 11, 1936 in Early County, GA. In addition to his parents, Mr. Houston was preceded in death by one son, Jason Kyle Houston, seven brothers: Bill, Charlie, Bob, Chester, Bruce, Homer, and Max Houston, two sisters: Hilda Houston King and Eugenia Houston Redding, and his in-laws, Charlie Will and Lou Doss Vines. Mr. Houston was well known in Blakely and the surrounding communities as an insurance agent with State Farm Insurance Company for forty-seven and half years. As a Select Agent, he earned the Crystal Excellence Award for Legion of Honor and was also a Mutual Funds Leader. In the 1970s, Mr. Houston served as the president of Early Enterprises which own and operated Blakely IGA and Blakely Hardware. Mr. Houston together with a childhood friend, Charles Rice, founded Early County 2055, a program designed to revitalize Blakely and Early County and developed a master plan for the next 50 years. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Early County Chamber of Commerce in 1996-98 and 2002-04. Mr. Houston was a graduate of Valdosta State University with a degree in Economics and member of the Pi Kappa Phi Social Fraternity. He was a member of Blakely First Baptist Church serving as a chairman of the board of deacons from 1989-1990 and chairman of the Personnel and Stewardship Committees. He was a member of the Bradley Bridges Men’s Sunday School class. He served as president of the Blakely Lions Club and was chosen as Lion of the Year in 1991. He was Zone Chairman of the Year under District Governor Jimmy Carter. Mr. Houston is survived by his wife of almost 65 years, Linda Vines Houston, two daughters: Kim Houston Orrick (Chuck) of Donalsonville, Lynn Houston Wehrly of Blakely, GA, and son, Stan Houston (Clifton) of Enterprise, AL; six grandchildren: Chase Wehrly (Dorothy), Kerry Orrick (Betsy), Coleman Wehrly (Katie), Emmalise Houston, Mac Houston, and Baxley Houston and seven great-grandchildren: Leah Wehrly, Cole Wehrly, Atlee Wehrly, Saylor Wehrly, Charlie Orrick, Claire Orrick, and Kyler Wehrly. He is also survived by his sister, Betty Houston Strickland of Ashford, AL, sister-in-laws: Betty Jackson Houston and Claire Jackson Houston of Blakely, Emily Vines Williams (Ken) of Newnan, GA, and Susan Vines Davis (John) of Arlington, GA and several nieces and nephews. His nephews Brett Houston, Bruce Houston, Craig Houston, Keith Houston, Tony Strickland, and Graham Harvin will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be the members of the Bradley Bridges Men’s Sunday School class, Larry Hall, Curtis Gilbert, and Tommie Jive Wright. Manry-Jordan-Hodges Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.