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Jane Furkert Houser ’48

April 6, 2020, in Walnut Creek, California.

Jane wrote her thesis, “Sociometry as a Tool for the Evaluation of Group Work in the Portland Young Women’s Christian Association,” with Prof. Read Bain [sociology 1947–49] advising. While at Reed, she met her husband, Donald Houser ’50. He began working for Chevron Oil Company and accepted a temporary position in Holland, where they lived for four years. Jane raised three daughters, Julie, Karen, and Diane, and was active in the community, volunteering for and giving generously to numerous nonprofit organizations. In their later years, she and Don rented a cabin and spent several weeks each year in Sierra City, their favorite mountain town.

“Since most of my life was spent raising a family,” she said, “the four years I spent at Reed were a wonderful preparation. In later years, when I began to teach, I was able to use many undergraduate units towards a credential.”

Appeared in Reed magazine: September 2021

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