Reata Houlditch Busby

Reata Houlditch Busby, age 78, passed away on November 17, 2021, in Sterrett, AL.  Reata was born on November 6, 1943, to Bro. Glen and Delta Ree Kirkley Houlditch in Kansas, AL. Upon graduating Carbon Hill High School, she moved to Homewood, AL to attend Howard University.  She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Science with a minor in English and moved to Florence, AL to start a teaching career.  After being a homemaker for a decade, she once again became a teacher in Trussville, AL.  While teaching, she obtained her Master’s degree in Public Administration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she eventually became employed as the Assistant Director of Research and Grants Administration.  She then became the Director of Research for the Health Sciences Center at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM.  Ms. Busby retired as the Associate Vice President for Research Integrity & Compliance at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX.  Her retirement years were spent with her children and grandchildren in Sterrett, AL.

Ms. Busby is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Theron N. Houlditch as well as former spouse Michael L. Busby.  She is survived by her brother, Glen R. (Teresa) Houlditch of Birmingham; children Bret C. (Melissa) Busby and Shannon L. Busby of Birmingham and grandchildren Walker, Gray and Annalee Busby.

A service will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, at Edgewood Presbyterian Church, 850 Oxmoor Road, Birmingham, AL 35209.  If desired, friends may make memorial contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org.