ERLA JEAN LINAMEN (FRED WARREN⁴, JAMES HENRY³, CHARLES AUGUSTUS² LINNEMAN, CHARLES L.¹ LINEMAN) was born 06 Mar 1935, and died 05 Mar 2008 in Port Orange, Florida. She married JAMES W. HOUPT, JR. 31 Oct 1958.

Obituary for ERLA JEAN LINAMEN:

The Record Herald

Tue Mar 11, 2008, 11:03 AM EDT

Port Orange, Fl -

Erla Jean Houpt, 72, of 5959 Penrose Court, Port Orange, Fla., died at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, 2008, in Port Orange Hospice Care Center. She had lived in Port Orange since 1985.

Born March 6, 1935, in Bruin, she was the daughter of the late Fred W. and Amanda (Wyant) Linamen.

Mrs. Houpt was a 1953 graduate of Bruin High School, where she was class valedictorian. She also graduated from Anderson University, Anderson, Ind., Central Bible College, Springfield, Mo., and Zion Bible College, Barrington, R.I.

Prior to retiring, she worked at Brown and Brown Insurance of Daytona Beach, Fla., for 21 years.

Mrs. Houpt was the church pianist and organist in various churches for more than 60 years, beginning at age 10.

She joined the ministry team of Gerard McColl Trio in 1955, and she provided the children’s ministry, sang alto and played virbraharp, piano, organ and accordion.

Following her marriage, she was church organist, pianist, Sunday School teacher, department leader and head of women’s ministries.

She is survived by her husband, James W. Houpt; one daughter, Kimberlee J. May of Port Orange; one son, Kristopher J. Houpt of Linwood, N.C.; five grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one granddaughter, two brothers and two sisters.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in Lininger-Fries Funeral Home Inc., Mercersburg. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery, Mercersburg.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to services Thursday in the funeral home.

Thoughts from Jim on Jean's life....

"She truly 'FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT'. She was so determined and wanted above all to prove the goodness of the Lord to her.  Her life was certainly exemplary of what a true Christian should be. Her testimony will live forever in the hearts of her children, grandchildren, and mine. She always served above and beyond the call of duty.

"She was 14 years younger than her siblings and was raised in Bruin, Pennsylvania, like an only child. Her parents raised her in the Christian faith and she was consistent her entire life. During her school years she was a cheer leader and graduated valedictorian of her class of 1953. Her involvement in the ministry began about age 10 when after one year of piano lessons she began playing the piano and organ for church and continued that practice through her entire life and served faithful for many hours every Sunday for over 60 years. Before our marriage she used her talents in ministry traveling with 2 other ladies holding revival meetings across the United States and Canada. Her duties included Children's Story Hour, playing the piano, organ, vibraharp, guitar and singing an alto part in the trio. She attended Anderson University, Central Bible College and Zion Bible College. After school she served as a Sunday School Teacher, Musician, Sunday School Department Leader, the Head of the WOMEN'S Organizations of each church where we pastored. She worked an 8 hour a day job for all but about 3 years and retired at age 65 and did not enjoy it and returned again after 1 year to her job where she was always punctual and gave her employer her best. For some years she worked a second job selling Sarah Coventry Jewelry as was a top salesperson year after year. Jean performed her work duties through more than 2 full years of her time of cancer treatment and after medical leave of a short duration was able to return for two more weeks of work in the last year. In addition to the above she served as the hostess to our house guests with meal preparation along with the family responsibilities as a mother and wife.

"In thirty years of ministry I NEVER had a complaint about her life. She certainly was a testimony of what living your faith really means. Evidence of that is the hundreds and hundreds of get well cards you and other friends have given to her over these 3 years. The pile is huge and she saved every one of them in a chest labeled 'TREASURED FRIENDS'."

Children of ERLA LINAMEN and JAMES HOUPT are:

i. KRISTOPHER JAMES⁶ HOUPT, m. SHERRY DAWN TAYLOR, 27 Jun 1981.

ii. KIMBERLEE JEAN HOUPT, m. RANDY MAY, 30 May 1982.