William Russell Houck

This article is about American bishop. For Canadian politician, see William Houck.

William Russell Houck (July 26, 1926 – March 9, 2016) was an American Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Jackson from 1984 to 2003. He was previously an auxiliary bishop there from 1979 to 1984.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend William Russell Houck
Bishop of Jackson titular bishop of Alexanum
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Diocese	Jackson
Predecessor	Joseph Bernard Brunini
Successor	Joseph Nunzio Latino
Orders
Ordination	May 19, 1951 by Thomas Joseph Toolen
Consecration	May 27, 1979. by Pope John Paul II
Personal details
Born	July 26, 1926 Mobile, Alabama, US
Died	March 9, 2016(2016-03-09) (aged 89) Jackson, Mississippi, US
Coat of arms

Biography

William Houck was born in Mobile, Alabama, on July 26, 1926. He was ordained a priest by Archbishop Thomas Toolen on May 19, 1951, for the Archdiocese of Mobile.^[1]

On March 28, 1979, Houck was named auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Jackson and titular bishop of Alexanum by Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.^[1] Houck was consecrated by the pope on May 27, 1979. Houck was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Jackson on April 11, 1984, by John Paul II and installed on June 5, 1984.^[1]

On January 3, 2003, John Paul II accepted Houck's resignation as bishop of Jackson.^[1] William Houck died on March 9, 2016, at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson of complications following heart surgery.^[2]