Olive Elizabeth Van Houten

Olive Elizabeth (Betty) Cole Van Houten passed away Sunday morning, March 28, 2021 at the age of 92. She was born on February 17, 1929 in Atlanta, GA where she lived all her life with her beloved husband, Thomas Van Houten, Jr. who passed away in October, 2016. She graduated from Druid Hills High School and went to Gulf Park College for Women in Gulfport MS but left after two years to return to Atlanta to attend Agnes Scott College, from which she graduated in 1950. Later Mother worked as a realtor for Thibadeau Realty from 1978 to 1992.

Mother’s parents belonged to the Atlanta Athletic Club at East Lake which Mother and Dad joined in 1954. They were avid tennis players, playing well into their 80’s. She loved gardening and belonged to several gardening clubs. Dad always joked that he never got a weekend off because mother would set him to work in the yard.

Mother contributed a lot to the Atlanta community. She taught Sunday School at Glenn Memorial Methodist Church. She was a member of the “Council on Youth Ministry” from 1971-72. She volunteered to work with the “City of Atlanta Council for International Visitors,” including the “U.S.-S.Africa Leadership Program,” welcoming and entertaining foreign dignitaries from Africa who visited Atlanta. When Dr. King’s funeral was held in Atlanta on April 9, 1968, she took all three children out of school for the day to attend the funeral and volunteered to pick up people at the airport who came to honor Dr. King. She was a member of the Wednesday Morning Study Club from 1971 to the present and was very active as an Alumna of Agnes Scott College.

Mother and Dad were deeply involved in the cultural and artistic venues in Atlanta, supporting the Atlanta Symphony, the Atlanta Ballet and the High Museum as well as being founding members of The Druid Hills Arts Council in 1960. Their home was full of art, many by friends such as Charles Reineke, Margaret Via and Irene Belknap. They were avid travelers visiting Russia, the Galapagos Islands, Egypt, Africa, South America, Canada, Hawaii, almost all of Western Europe, and Baja, California where they went whale watching. Mother was deeply moved when a mother whale turned on her side by the keel of the small boat and she looked into the whale’s eye, sensing a keen intelligence and a moment of connection that remained with her long after.

She was fascinated by the intricate workings of the mind and read and mused over the meaning of faith, love, sexuality and relationships. She volunteered to work with the mentally ill at Georgia Mental Health from 1969-1972. She was able to explore more deeply concepts of faith and religion when she entered the Masters program in Theology at Emory University from 1975-1976.

She was an extraordinary woman, the epitome of a gracious Southern lady; beautiful, talented, strong, and intelligent. She found her love in our dad and together they explored the world, finding joy in travel, in art, in music and in literature. They shared this love with many of their friends and with us, their children. She will be deeply missed by all of us.

She is survived by her children; Thomas Cole Van Houten and his wife, Hilde, Corinne Van Houten and her husband Marc Anselme and Olivia Lee Van Houten, her grandchildren; Marisa Van Houten Pardo and her husband Jeff, Trent Walker Van Houten, Mariek Van Houten-Anselme and Alex Van Houten-Anselme and her great grandchildren, Clay Thomas Pardo and Charlie Cole Pardo. She is also survived by her brother, Bill Cole, and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in mother’s name to Glenn Memorial Methodist Church, the Atlanta Symphony, the Woodruff Arts Center or the Atlanta Botanical Gardens or any charity of the donor’s choice.