He was the son of Melvin and Myrtle Houk and was born in Akron, Ohio. He graduated from Norton High School and went on to obtain Master’s degrees in management and engineering from the University of Akron and The Ohio State University, respectively. Robert proudly served as a civil engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, where he spent a significant amount of time developing and refining The Icing Research Tunnel.
Robert was a devout member of St. Augustine’s and Guardian Angels churches, where he served as a lector. He was a Knights of Columbus member at St. Hilary’s Church in Fairlawn.
Bob will be remembered for his calm, cerebral character by everyone he met. He was a devoted husband and father who relished the basic pleasures of life, particularly a good meal and long chats with family and friends.
His parents, Melvin and Myrtle, and brother, Timothy (Sally), died before him. His wife, Barbara Houk, son, Jonathan (Megan), and daughter, Bernadette, survive him. He enjoyed spending time with his two grandsons, Maddox Trillow (eight years old) and Lincoln Houk (nine months). He was the husband of Barbara (Kawalek) Houk, 79. They shared 49 years of marriage.