Leslie Mccorkle Houston

Leslie McCorkle Houston, 71, of Raleigh, NC passed away peacefully on January 14, 2020. Leslie graduated from Hickory High School in 1967, and received her BA in Special Education from the University of North Carolina in 1971. She received her Masters in Special Education from Appalachian State University in 1975. For over 15 years, she was a Special Ed teacher and was passionate about making a difference in the lives of her students. In 1992, she joined the Peace Corps and was assigned to Zaruma, Ecuador, where she demonstrated her deep compassion and creativity helping disabled children. She left Zaruma in 1996 and settled in Raleigh, NC. Being fluent in Spanish, she became an English as a Second language teacher in the Wake County Public School System. Her creative soul and quick wit flourished when she joined the Improvisational Ensemble, ‘Off the Deep End.’ She was an animated storyteller, dancer, and vocalist, as well as a contributor in the local and global interplay community. Upon retirement from the public school system, Leslie continued her mission to help others by teaching English to children and adult refugees from Afghanistan. She was also an active member of the Unity of the Triangle Church and book study group. Leslie was preceded in death by her parents James L. Houston and Elizabeth McCorkle Houston of Hickory, NC. She is survived by her brother Jim Houston and wife Peggy of Boone, NC; sister Mary Houston and partner Jen Rabun of Atlanta, GA; niece Alicia Houston and wife Chrissy Reade of Phoenix, AZ; nephew James Houston of Boone, NC; and niece Abby Houston of Asheville, NC. The family will hold a celebration of Leslie’s life in Raleigh, NC. Date/time/place has yet to be determined – in typical Houston fashion!