Karen Esther Houston

Karen Esther (Kress) Houston, 73, a resident of Las Vegas for 55 years, passed away, Saturday morning, November 23, 2024, at her home.

Karen Kress was born January 24, 1951, in Des Moines, Iowa, the second child of Robert and Esther Kress, also of Des Moines. She graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1969. She married her high school sweetheart, John “Toby” Staten Houston on August 31, 1969 and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where they started a family while Toby attended UNLV and played basketball.

In addition to raising four children, Karen was an administrative assistant in the Clark County School District at schools like Helen Marie Smith Elementary, Saville Middle School and Guy Elementary School for many years. After retiring from the school district, she embraced the role of grandmother and helped in the day-to-day lives of her grandchildren.

Karen was also a loving wife and mother. She loved to cook and be a hostess. The dinner parties of her youth were the talk of her friends and family. She passed on many recipes to her children.

In addition to cooking, reading was a big part of Karen's life, where she was rarely seen without a book. When she wasn't engrossed in the currently trending novel, she engaged in macrame, showing a rare talent for making her crafted products come alive. Karen shared her outdoorsy side with her husband and children, making trips to Mt Charleston an ongoing family tradition.

Karen is survived by her sister, Christine Berkley; her mother-in-law Nellie Ann Harding; daughters, Angela Camille Houston, Caprice Rochelle Houston, and Mika Love Houston and son-in law Radi Shopski all of Las Vegas and her son, Kenji Jamele Houston of Colorado; her granddaughters Tierra Houston of Washington and Neaveh Houston of Colorado; grandchildren, Trajan John Houston, Rylie Love Shopski-Houston, Cerena Rochelle Bey, Keenan Quincy Bey, and Kamille Malia Bey all of Las Vegas; grandson Jamal Al Jordan Bey of Arlington, Texas; and many cousins and extended family members.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Robert Kress, Jr, and her beloved husband, “Toby.”

A funeral service for Karen will be held Wednesday, December 11, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Palm Mortuary - Northwest, 6701 North Jones Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89131. Following the funeral service will be a committal service from 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM at Palm Northwest Mortuary & Cemetery, 6701 N Jones Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89131.

In lieu of flowers, family has kindly requested for a donation on Karen's behalf to go to a local educational charity, the diabetes foundation or to the family during this time.