David Allen Houck

David Allen "Dave" Houck, 56, of Rock Island and a former longtime Rock Island resident, passed away on Wednesday, October17, 2012 in Rock Island, following a 5 month battle with cancer. He was born on January 3, 1956 at Phoenix, Arizona to the late Elmer and Barbara Ann (Mougler) Emerson. At an early age, he moved with his family to Washington and they settled briefly in Chelan and eventually ended up in Wenatchee where David's life would be changed forever. Richard and Mary Houck opened up their hearts and adopted him as their own. David attended Wenatchee schools and Wenatchee High School. He entered the U.S. Navy in November of 1973 and served aboard the N.A.S. Memphis. He received his honorable discharge in January of 1975. Upon returning to Wenatchee he worked a variety of jobs that included, the U.S. Forest Service, Keyes Fiber and Hannah Mining prior to continuing his education at Wenatchee Valley College. He received his Associate degree in Auto Body Repair and opened his own auto body repair shop in Rock Island, known as Dave's Auto Repair in the early 1980's. He operated his shop until the late 1980's, when he started J & M Trucking Company in Rock Island. He hauled fruit locally as well as hay cubes in large shipping containers throughout the northwest states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho to the shipyards. He operated J & M Trucking until 1995, when he moved to the Austin, Texas area. He went to work for Ranger Trucking, where he hauled heavy equipment to various job sites. He later went to work at Wheeler Paving hauling their heavy equipment to job sites. He continued working at Wheeler Paving until ill health forced him to retire. He returned to Rock Island on September 29th. David especially enjoyed his family, being a dad, cars, fishing, barbeques and his friends. He is survived by the love of his life and best friend, Gwen Houck, four children, Jennifer Houck and husband, James Voss, Rock Island, Michelle Houck, Tacoma, David A. Houck Jr., Cedar Park, Texas and Jacob John Houck, Leander, Texas; his adoptive parents, Richard & Mary Houck, Wenatchee; four brothers, Terry Emerson, East Wenatchee, Andrew Houck, Seattle, Ken Houck, Austin Texas and Danny Clevenger, Yakima; one sister, Melinda Houck and her husband, Renn Cone of Wenatchee; six grandchildren, Marella Houck, Tacoma, Kayla and Chelsea Houck both of Rock Island, Aleah Houck, Tacoma, Joshua McVay and Michael Houck both of Rock Island. He was preceded in death by his birth parents, Elmer and Barbara Ann Emerson. A Memorial Service will be held at the Rock Island Community Church on October 27, 2012, 1:00pm. Thoughts and memories can be left for his family on his online tribute at, www.HeritageMemorialChapel.com. Arrangements are in the care of Heritage Memorial Chapel, East Wenatchee.

David Allen Houck

January 3, 1956 - October 17, 2012