TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Ivan J. Houston 1925–2020
"Buffalo Soldier", WWII Veteran, Former National Urban League and National Conference of Community and Justice Board Member, Actuary, U.S. Army
By Aaron Williams
I van Houston entered the Chapter Invisible on March 1, 2020 at the age of 94. Ivan James Houston was born in Los Angeles, CA on June 15, 1925, the second son to Norman O. Houston and Doris (née Young) Houston. He graduated from L.A.'s Polytechnic High School in 1942 and subsequently enrolled at the University of California at Berkeley. Houston left school to enlist in the United States Army during World War II. He was assigned to the legendary African American 92 nd Infantry Division, also known as the famed Buffalo Soldiers. During World War II, Houston served as a combat infantryman in Italy. In that capacity he was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge and the Bronze Star for heroic or meritorious achievement in action. He was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in enemy action; and with three Battle Stars for the following campaigns: Rome to the Arno River, the North Apennines, and the Po River Valley. Houston is still a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans. He ended the war as his battalion's sergeant major. Professionally, he was a Chartered Life Underwriter, a Fellow of the Life Management Institute and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. Houston served as Chief Executive
Officer of Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company from 1970 until 1990, an organization his father co- organized. In that capacity, Golden State rose to become the third largest black life insurance company in the nation with more than $4B of insurance in force. He also served on the boards of several national corporations. For 16 consecutive years, Houston was listed in Ebony® Magazine as one of America's most influential Black leaders. Houston also was heavily involved in civic affairs at the local, state and national level. He was president of the Los Angeles City Human Relations Commission and sat on the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles Board of Directors. He chaired the boards of the Los Angeles Urban League, the United Way of Los Angeles Central Region, and the Southern California Chapter of the National Conference of Christians & Jews (NCCJ). He served on both the National Urban League Board of Directors and the NCCJ National Board of Directors. In addition, he a member of the Los Angeles chapter of Sigma Pi Phi ® Fraternity. He also received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of La Verne. In 1993, Pope John Paul II honored Houston by naming him a Knight of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great. In retirement, he published a book based on his combat activities in Italy. Called
"Black Warriors: The Buffalo Soldiers of World War II," it was also discovered, read and translated into Italian; it helped to motivate him to eight years of travel and reception back to Italy. A second book, "The Return of the Buffalo Soldier" is with the publisher, chronicling these visits, and a documentary "With One Tied Hand" has also been completed. Brother Ivan J. Houston is preceded in death by his parents and his wife of 65 years, Philippa. He is survived by his son, Ivan A. (Leslie), daughters, Pamela Chretien (Paul) and Kathi Berryman (James), two grandsons, Barrett Todd (Jennifer) and Jay Christian (Jeanne), two great-granddaughters, Sanaa Lauren and Jeanne Kathleen, and two great-grandsons, Jay Christian Jr. and Brandon Todd, and a host of other loved ones, family and friends. For 16 consecutive years Houston was listed in Ebony ® Magazine as one of America's most influential Black leaders.
THE JOURNAL ♦ SUMMER-FALL 2020 | 107
Publishing achievement for more than 105 years
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