Houghton – Barbara Ellen (Langdon, Herveat) Horton of Houghton passed from this life to a life with Christ on Thursday, May 25, 2023, at age 86.
She was the daughter of William and Barbara (Terrish) Langdon (Langdon’s Store in Kearsarge) who predeceased her along with her brother William, brother Bruce, his wife Joyce, nephew Bill and her first husband Frank Herveat.
She was the present wife of Paul Horton and stepmother of his sons Aaron (Suzie) and Nathan (Donna).
She was a 3lb., 3oz. preemie when born on May 17, 1937. Back then, there were no neonatal units. Instead, she was placed in her Dad’s shoe box with hot water bottles to serve as an incubator. She wasn’t supposed to survive, but she did.
At 17 she accepted Jesus and used the following passage as a lifelong guide. “Romans 12:1 (NIV): Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.” She began her Christian life as a Methodist Sunday School teacher and Sunday School superintendent.
Barbara was a woman of deep Christian faith who believed in helping others because she knew that is why God gave us life. Her life mission was to earn her space on earth through service to others, being a good disciple and encouraging others to do the same because it is Jesus’ direction.
She made lots of mistakes but always tried to atone. She was kind, generous, honest, responsible, inspirational and motivational with an easy sense of humor.
Barbara graduated from Calumet High School in 1955, from the Pontiac Business Institute in 1957 with an Associate’s degree in business, the Institute for Financial Education School for Executive Development and attended Michigan Technological University.
She began her business career working for Ford Motor Company in Detroit and then moved to Michigan Tech’s Institute of Mineral Research.
She was the first in the Upper Peninsula to attain the National Professional Secretary certification while employed at Detroit and Northern Savings and Loan (D&N). She went on to become Senior Vice President of Operations at D&N which included all branch and lending operations, mergers, acquisitions and contributing on the management team.
In 1984 she was selected State of Michigan Distinguished Woman in Business/Finance. After D&N, she started her own human resources consulting business, Profit Resources, and was hired by DLP in Grand Rapids, MI after they used her consulting services. DLP was purchased by Medtronic, and she transferred to them and retired as Medtronic’s director of corporate services.
In keeping with her mission to earn her space on earth, she volunteered as a board member on numerous charitable organizations. While president of the Copper Country Sheltered Workshop, she was instrumental in obtaining $400,000.00 from the State of Michigan to relocate the Workshop from Quincy St. to the Copper Country Intermediate School building.
She was also named by the Governor of Michigan to serve on several State of Michigan rehabilitation committees and was a member of the U.S. Savings League Personnel Committee. She served as a director on the Portage View Hospital Board, the Copper Country Intermediate School Board, the Copper Country Vocational Advisory Board and the Copper Country Citizens Committee. In Grand Rapids she was a member of the Chamber of Commerce and Personnel Association.
She founded and designed the Lighthouse Learners scholarship program for CLK students. The program guided participants from the 5th through 12th grade in an enhancement program while earning full-ride scholarships to Michigan Tech in career disciplines of their choice.
Her next major project was donating and motivating others to donate to improve CLK’s Horizons Alternate High School. This included shower and laundry facilities, upgraded school yard, outdoor learning center, BE’s motivational corner and special scholarships that meet the specific needs of these students. The needs and scholarships at Horizons High School will go on indefinitely always requiring more funding.
She was the volunteer editor of the 1994 Copper Country Home Coming historical soft cover book that recorded Copper Country families and events – a piece of history. She did the same for the Rabbit Bay Reunion Historical book. She published poetry and a book, “The A, B, C’s of Selling.”
Barb had a joyful side too. Barb enjoyed watercolor painting, hand arts, singing, the guitar and reading. Barb and Paul, her partner in faith, were summer residents of the Copper Country and winter residents of Tucson.
As her final gift of service, she donated her body to Mayo Clinic for research but Mayo declined to accept it.
Barbara is survived by her husband Paul and his sons Aaron (Suzie) and Nathan (Donna), her brother Joseph (Kate) Langdon, sister-in-law Gale Langdon and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
You are invited to a memorial service to be held at Grace United Methodist Church in Houghton on June 9, 2023; Visitation at 10 a.m., Memorial Service at 11 a.m. Luncheon after the service.
For those that cannot attend the service in person, the service will be live streamed on the Grace United Methodist Church’s YouTube channel: youtube.com/@hgumc
In lieu of flowers, Barbara would be honored by donations in her name to the Horizons High School scholarship program or a charity of your choice.
To view this obituary, or to send online condolences, please visit memorialchapel.net.
The Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service- Hancock Chapel is assisting the family with the arrangements.
