Cleo Yeager Houston

Mrs. Cleo Yeager Houston, 89, well-known Columbia businesswoman and resident of Camelia Drive, died Thursday, June 25, 2009 at NHC Columbia. Graveside services will be conducted Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Center Point Cemetery at Leoma with Rev. Bob Adair officiating. Oakes & Nichols Funeral Directors are assisting the family with arrangements. Notes of sympathy may be sent to www.oakesandnichols.com. The Lawrence County native was the daughter of the late Chester Yeager and Bertha Hayes Yeager and a graduate of Loretto High School. Mrs. Houston established Merle Norman Cosmetics in Columbia in 1953, having previously represented the company in Lawrence County. She commuted from Lawrenceburg every day for two years to operate the business prior to moving with her family to Columbia in 1955. She owned and operated the business until her retirement in 2002. She was a member and active in the affairs of Highland Park Baptist Church over fifty years. Mrs. Houston sang in the choir and taught Sunday School for many years. She was a member of Maury County Chapter, APTA. Survivors include her sons, Jerry (Sharon) Houston of Hermitage and Fred Houston of Columbia; grandchildren, Cody Sam Houston, Sr. and Jillian Tyler Houston of Lincoln, Nebraska, Chris Houston of Mt. Juliet, and Caroline Houston Graham of Eagleville; great-grandchildren, Cody Sam Houston, Jr., Briley Houston, Gentry Houston, Isabella Houston, Alex Houston, Anna Graham, Ella Graham, Eva Graham, and Owen Graham; brothers, Dallas Yeager of Huntsville, Alabama and Jim Fred (Betty) Yeager of Blountsville, Alabama. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.