William "Bill" James Huston, Jr.

On Saturday, October 12, 2024, we bade farewell to the remarkable William James Huston, Jr, better known as Bill Huston. Born and raised in Bluffton, Indiana to his beloved late mother, Velma Landis (Smith) on June 24, 1949, Bill was a the eldest of 6 children. As a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA), he grew up immersed in Deaf Culture with American Sign Language (ASL) as his first language and the lens through which he experienced his environment. After graduating from Southern Wells High School in 1967, Bill enlisted in the Marine Corps and was deployed to Vietnam. As he has recounted, he should have died on April 17, 1968, when he was wounded 19 times and received a Purple Heart and other accolades for his valor. He was a proud veteran and the experience broadened his perspective, sending him on a quest to learn more about the world, theology, and education. The first person in his extended family to attend college, Bill ultimately completed a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Rehabilitation Services from Boston University in 1980. He went on to become a Certified Interpreter and Sign Language Instructor and was a long-time resident of Massachusetts. From 1982-2002, Bill was a dedicated Curriculum Coordinator at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, where he designed and administered a Deaf Studies Program and was honored as Professor Emeritus in 2003. Bill was also the creator and trainer of a Visual Gestural Communication (VGC) intervention model and had a gift for communicating with Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons with barriers for conventional communication models. 

Above all, Bill was a patient, devoted, and loving father to his two daughters Emily Saade (Huston) and Kara Huston and proud grandfather to Evan Saade. His daughters were with him through his final moments. Bill leaves behind two younger siblings, Walter (Walt) Huston and Catherine Huston who both reside in Indiana. He is pre-deceased by his mother Velma, sisters Martha and Carolyn, and brother and fellow Vietnam veteran George. He passed away in Charleston, South Carolina where he moved in 2012 to enjoy his retirement. A memorial to honor Bill’s life will be held at a later date. May his memory be a blessing and his impact eternal.