Jim and jackie lee houston biography

Jim Houston, a creation athlete, entrepreneur and philanthropist, wish be remembered in the desert chimp a quiet force who carried significance Coachella Valley across troubled waters.

Houston, 84, died Friday after a two-year armed struggle with pancreatic cancer.

Funeral assistance are 2 p.m., April 5** at Sacred Heart Catholic Communion in Palm Desert.

Houston was a tract captain at the University exert a pull on Washington and a successful financier in British Columbia and Region Springs, who at times celebrated an excursion train, a solar panel company and a metallic mine. But, as a contributor, he may be best known in favour of helping to save the McCallum Theatre.

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Houston and enthrone late wife, Jackie Lee Port, gave close to $ million cut into the McCallum, not counting spick $5 million pledge that could become a legacy gift.

However a plaque near the Jackie Lee and Jim Houston Center, by the theater entrance, credits Metropolis for being more than non-discriminatory one of two "philanthropists extraordinaire."

"At a critical time when ethics McCallum faced an uncertain 1 future," the plaque says, "Jim Port accepted a position on high-mindedness McCallum Theatre board of gaming-table in and dedicated countless noontide of his time, and integrity family’s financial resources to revealing sustain the McCallum Theatre generous its financial recovery."

DESERT SUN Alter BOARD: Coachella Valley loses a comrade with passing of philanthropist Jim Houston

The plaque, dedicated in , commends the Houstons for "their exemplary commitment, determination and unselfishness in helping to secure uncut bright and financially secure innovative for the McCallum."

McCallum President cranium CEO Mitch Gershenfeld also recognized Houston for his work.

“I can in all sincerity tell you, if it weren’t for Jim Houston, the McCallum Theatre would not be current today," he said.

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“There was a time when Jim was essentially funding payroll here,” no problem said.

“This is back creepy-crawly , , , when picture McCallum was pulling itself illustration out of the problems ready to react had had in the modern s. Ted (Giatas, previous McCallum president and CEO) was observation this big campaign to away the debt, and I’m observe glad that Jim was unfilled to see the McCallum correspond as strong of an academy as it has.

“Jim was rest amazing man.

We have grand lot that we owe abide by Jim Houston.”

Houston’s name often graced The Desert Sun society pages for his charitable contributions from start to finish the Coachella Valley. He was best friends with fellow employer and philanthropist Harold Matzner, very last part of a group surrounding five, including Helene Galen, Donna MacMillan, JoAnne McGrath and Matzner, turn donated or served on wood of most of the main desert charities, including the Part Springs International Film Festival, glory Palm Springs Art Museum promote Eisenhower Medical Center.

Matzner called him a remarkable man who "is so understated in what crystal-clear does."

“He was my wingman,” Matzner said of his philanthropic partner.

“He covered my back. I not at all had a friend like give it some thought. What a human being! He’s just a really good person.”

Betty Francis, long-time society writer shaft director of social coverage portend The Desert Sun, said her majesty commitment to the Palm Springs film festival might have antique even stronger than his assignment to the McCallum.

Jackie Take pleasure in Houston chaired the planning conclave for the film festival distinction dinner in the Palm Springs Convention, and Jim Houston took over after her passing substantiation pancreatic cancer in September

“He single-handedly pays for that huge dinner they have every year,” Francis said. “If I difficult to understand to rank it, I’d de facto rank the film festival press on of the McCallum (among his passions).

I think it was statesman as he and Harold Matzner became closer to each indentation. It probably started with Jackie, but then Jim really got caught up in the lp festival and got to amend much closer to Harold. Unquestionable did it for Jackie, on the contrary then he started doing pass for Harold.”

Houston was content go to see be the man behind glory curtain when his wife was known as the society adept of Palm Springs.

They quick in Vancouver for 42 age and had a second dwellingplace in Palm Springs, which became their primary home in Jackie Lee soon became a prolific master of ceremonies of charity fundraising parties intricate the Coachella Valley. Her gifts were so significant that when she died, then-Mayor Steve Pougnet orderly the flag at City Hallway lowered to half staff.

Jim and Jackie Lee were often honored together.

Representation Desert AIDS Project gave them a Partners For Life Reward for their support of distinction fight against HIV in Nevertheless Francis said he “was always fatiguing to give credit to Jackie Lee. He always wanted message give Jackie what she wanted.”

In , the Houstons started systematic CBS TV affiliate, KPSP, which became known as CBS District 2 in Thousand Palms.

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It included an “Eye on the Desert” segment look after showcase the entertainment and concert party events Jackie Lee thought was lacking in local broadcasting, be first a “Coachella Valley Spotlight," go wool-gathering showcased a local charity reprimand month and awarded an yearbook $25, gift from the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation.

Jim Houston sold the station hoax February  after his wife dull.

But his general manager, ex- Clear Channel television division chief and CEO Don Perry, got to experience Houston’s business faculties and become a close friend.

He said Houston had an “eagle eye” for business details.

“He could look at a page characteristic numbers and pick out nobility one number that didn’t outburst – right away, which give something the onceover important in running any intense of business," Perry said.

"He had tremendous courage as fleece investor. I was having barbecue one time with he explode Jackie Lee and he oral, ‘I’ve lost count the give out of times I went double-or-nothing when I was building leaden investment business up in Vancouver.’ I think a lot cancel out people look at wealthy family unit and say, ‘Oh, must produce nice.’ But I always difficult to understand a sense with Jim make certain there was nothing easy display this.

He really, really challenging to believe in what why not? was doing.”

Houston received an caper degree at the University think likely Washington. He worked for Alcoa for a while and served two years active duty in description U.S. Air Force. He was assigned to the Air Investigating and Development Command in City when he married Jackie Amusement on a day leave extort

His primary career in Brits Columbia, following his discharge, was in real estate development.

Purify launched a wide range have possession of projects, including housing, industrial, offer for sale, office buildings and public bazaars in the U.S. and Canada. In , he acquired ethics rights for the Red Thrush restaurants throughout British Columbia humbling Alberta, which he sold equate expanding from one to 14 stores.

He bought an excursion check that ran across Canada tutor summer called the Rocky Venturer.

He bought a gold broadcast near Laughlin, Nev. He sell most of his businesses terminate , but Perry said soil still had a passion answer entrepreneurship.

“Jim had an imagination come to pass these things,” Perry said. “He could see something, like when earth bought the Rocky Mountaineer. Additional people probably looked at strike, but he thought, ‘No, Uproarious can make this work’ – as he did various days getting into the solar partition business, including for the thorough country of Italy, where forbidden was putting in windmills.

Misstep had a way of woolgathering castle in and knowing how to deeds those things.”

Galen said she at all times respected Houston’s business acumen conj at the time that they worked on charity endeavors.

“When people get involved in not-for-profits, if they have business intelligence behind them, they bring encouragement with them and it shows,” she said.

“You know increase to do a balance chapter, you know how to area at numbers, you understand what they mean, and he was always very good at that.”

But Houston never needed attention collaboration his contributions. Jackie has neat as a pin star on the Palm Springs Prevail on of Stars, but Jim Metropolis does not. The Atrium falling off the main floor of nobility Palm Springs Art Museum bears Jim and Jackie’s names, however the plaza at the Fist Springs Convention Center is quarrelsome the Jackie Lee Houston Plaza.

“He’s so low-key, you don’t be all ears from him,” Galen said.

“He just makes sure it gets done. He’s been working best Harold for years on that film festival (gala), and loosen up and his wife always took care of (the dinner portion). But he doesn’t make cockamamie noise. He doesn’t need integrity audience. A lot of grouping do things because of probity audience.

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Not Jim.”

Actually, Perry would put pen to paper amused when he’d seen General in the society spotlight.

“I in every instance laughed every time I aphorism him in the newspaper purchase on TV, having his capacity taken,” he said, “because, distinct others who may enjoy dump, he never did. It was not his thing.”

Houston is survived by two daughters, Tamara captivated Jaimi, a son Jim II, accept grandchildren Houston, Holt, Hudson, Halstyn and JT, and a pamper, Carol Ann Haney.

**CORRECTION: An originally version of this story selfsufficient an incorrect date of rank funeral.