Christine Matney, 74, of St. Joseph, MO passed away March 18, 2026.
She was born on December 22, 1951, at Fort Carson, Colorado to James B. Matney of Gower, MO and Ingaborg Ottila “Jeanie” (Immer) Matney of Vienna, Austria. Her father was a 20 year career Army Officer, so she spent the first years of her childhood as an “Army Brat”, moving to several bases in Colorado, Texas, South Carolina and Germany. The family moved to the family farm in the Spring of 1960 when Christine became a “farmers daughter”, where she enjoyed gardening, fishing and playing in woods. Besides farm animals they had many pets, her favorites were the cats and the ponies.
Christine graduated from East Buchanan High School in 1969, attended Northwest Missouri State College in Maryville and was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority. In 1987, she graduated from Missouri Western State College in St. Joseph.
She is most well known for her years of service working for Midland Empire Girl Scout Council headquartered in St. Joseph. She was very proud to be a member the Eastside Rotary Club culminating being a president for a year.
Christine has two younger sisters Barbara Shumaker in Massachusetts and Monica Matney Kiesling in Missouri. She was married to Ben B. Houghton 1975-1995 they had three children Margaret Lida Houghton in Kansas, Stephanie Anne Hight in Oak Grove, MO and James Marshall Houghton of Gower, MO who lives on the family farm. She had seven grandchildren Alex Schmidt, Kansas currently in the U.S. Airforce, Marshall and Nathan Hight of Oak Grove, Caroline, Rosalie, Jeanie and Elizabeth of Gower, nieces and nephews Sarah Shumaker and Jody Shumaker of Massachusetts, Jacqui Ruoff of St. Louis and Kate Ruoff Nemeth of North Kansas City.
Celebration of Life Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Monday, March 23rd at Hixson-Klein Funeral Home in Gower, MO.Donations may be made to KC Hospice or Kansas City PBS.
