On October 17, 2024, heaven gained a beautiful angel, Ann L. Houdek. She was a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend to us all. She was loved very much and will be dearly missed.

 Ann was born on July 10,1944, in Nebraska. She was the daughter of Emil and Mary Tvrdy and had 12 siblings: Mary, Geraldine, Raymond, Emil, Elizabeth, Francis, Cecilia, Christine, Steven, Judy, Paul and Margaret. She attended Valparaiso High School and was very active in school as a member of the cheerleading squad, Pep Club, Glee Club, and Triple Trio. She also sang in the church choir. 

 Shortly after high school she married the love of her life, Marvin Houdek. They were married 61 years and had an incredible love story together. They began their life together in Central City and had two children, Linda and Terri. They moved to the sunny state of Arizona where they hosted family and friends almost weekly. In the late 70’s, they moved to DeSoto, Texas and later in the late 80’s to Mesquite, Texas, where they remained.

 While living in DeSoto, Ann worked as a teller at DeSoto State Bank for many years. She later went into interior decorating at JC Penney. She had an eye for design and loved designing drapes and bedspreads for her customers. Outside of work, she loved painting, sewing, drinking coffee on her porch, walking trails, bird watching, spending time with family and friends, and writing in her bible journals.

 Ann and Marv loved traveling. In their earlier days, they traveled around the world to places like Spain, Ireland, Canada, Mexico and Thailand. They loved going to Arizona and Colorado and spent many hours traveling to Nebraska to see family and friends.

 Ann loved her five grandchildren and spending time with them. She would draw, build things out of Play-doh, and play cars with them. She did puzzles, cooked noodles and bread and took them swimming. She loved to sew costumes and pillows for them, and when they spent the night, she would do light shows and tell stories at bedtime. They went on vacations together, and she always jumped at the chance to go visit them or see them in performances. Most of all, she loved pouring into them her love for Jesus.

 Ann read the bible every day and loved the Lord fiercely. She journaled daily and filled book after book with prayers and favorite verses, it was her way of talking to Jesus. Her bibles were well written in, highlighted, worn and falling apart. Her mission was to make sure everyone knew Jesus, as she stated in her last conversation. She said she knew Jesus and was excited to meet him, and she wanted everyone to feel the peace that she felt by knowing him.

 Ann is preceded in death by her parents Emil and Mary Tvrdy and her brother Raymond.

 She is survived by her husband, Marvin Jerome Houdek, daughters Linda Rodgers and Terri Musia, Son-in Laws, Lloyd Rodgers and Steve Musia, and grandchildren, Joey Rodgers, Brandon Rodgers, Ryan Rodgers, Brooke Musia, Hunter Musia, and many siblings.