John A. Houkom, MD
1951 - 2014
John Arnold Houkom made the world a better place, touching the lives of many. John's childhood took his family with sister Nancy and brother Leif through Navy stations around the country. He considered Illinois home, with high school spent in Quincy, college at University of Illinois, and medical school at Southern Illinois University Medical School. After medical school, his orthopaedic training continued at Balboa Naval Hospital. Following a fellowship in Pediatric Orthopaedics at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, John returned to Balboa Naval Hospital. After the Navy, John joined the orthopaedic department at Kaiser Permanente.
In addition to helping the children of San Diego, John operated on children in Ecuador every year. Over the years, many of the OR staff from Kaiser joined him. During operative trips to Ecuador, John supported The Damian House, a facility caring for patients with Hansen's disease (leprosy). He practiced orthopaedics until the day his cancer was diagnosed last May. In the rapid time from diagnosis to passing, John was fortunate that many friends, colleagues, and patients expressed how he touched their lives.
Loving, protecting, and providing for his family was John's highest priority and his greatest legacy will be the five children he raised. With Chris Houkom, his wife of 30 years, John raised John Matthew Houkom, Kimberly Beth Leek (Houkom), and Brian Scott Houkom. After marrying Alexe Page in 2003, John helped raise his stepchildren Scott Whitney and Meredith Page Strange. He was fortunate to experience the joy of his grandchildren Tessa and Everett, children of Kim and Bryan Leek, before passing.
