Obituary for James Richardson Houghton
James Richardson Houghton died peacefully at home in Boston, MA on December 20, 2022. He had struggled valiantly for over 11 years with frontal lobe dementia. He was born in Corning, NY on April 6, 1936, the son of Amory Houghton and Laura Richardson Houghton.
Jamie, as he was always called, attended Corning public schools, then went to Fay School in Southborough, MA and graduated from St Paul’s School in Concord, NH in 1954. He attended Harvard College, graduating in 1958. He received his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1962 and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Harvard in 2011.
He is survived by his most loving family, Maisie (Kinnicutt) Houghton whom he married in 1962, his son James DeKay Houghton (m. Connie Coburn), daughter Nina Bayard Houghton, and 4 grandchildren – Isabelle and Abigail Houghton, Finn and Augusta George. He was predeceased by his four siblings, Betty, Amo, Alan and Meme.
From 1962 until his final retirement as Chairman in 2007 Jamie worked for Corning Glass Works, now known as Corning Incorporated. His first job was as a shift foreman in Danville KY, and he eventually joined Corning International before succeeding his brother Amo as Chairman and CEO in 1983. He stepped down in 1996 but was asked to return as CEO again from 2002 to 2005 ("I failed retirement," he joked). While at Corning he was an early champion of diversity in the workforce and Total Quality Management. He was a tireless cheerleader for the values by which he lived and for which he personally held the company accountable.
Jamie served on many corporate and non-profit boards, including MetLife, CBS, Exxon, JP Morgan, the Morgan Library and the Corning Museum of Glass. At one point in his career Jamie was simultaneously Chairman of Corning Inc., Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Senior Fellow of the Harvard Corporation. He gave himself to many, but whenever he said "we," we, his family, knew he was thinking of us.
Jamie loved to fish for salmon on the Moisie River and to sail his Morris 27' in Penobscot Bay, Maine. He idolized Fred Astaire, danced a mean two step and sang Broadway show tunes and choral hymns with equal passion. He wrote his own lyrics and poems for many family occasions. He happily played golf with the same eightsome for many years. He built stone walls on his Corning property, smoked cigars by the pond, loved red wine, enjoyed drawing and reading American history (the longer the book the better). From the age of 9, he was a faithful Red Sox fan.
During his last years he was lovingly cared for by Rose, Jackie, Marna, Nannette, Nicole, Darcia and many other wonderful caregivers.
A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, May 5th, 2023 at 11am at the Memorial Church of Harvard University, One Harvard Yard, Cambridge, MA 02138, with a reception to follow at Loeb House, 17 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Laura Richardson Houghton Youth Center in Corning NY, Big Tree Boating in Islesboro, ME, or your local Planned Parenthood.
Jamie, as he was always called, attended Corning public schools, then went to Fay School in Southborough, MA and graduated from St Paul’s School in Concord, NH in 1954. He attended Harvard College, graduating in 1958. He received his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1962 and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Harvard in 2011.
He is survived by his most loving family, Maisie (Kinnicutt) Houghton whom he married in 1962, his son James DeKay Houghton (m. Connie Coburn), daughter Nina Bayard Houghton, and 4 grandchildren – Isabelle and Abigail Houghton, Finn and Augusta George. He was predeceased by his four siblings, Betty, Amo, Alan and Meme.
From 1962 until his final retirement as Chairman in 2007 Jamie worked for Corning Glass Works, now known as Corning Incorporated. His first job was as a shift foreman in Danville KY, and he eventually joined Corning International before succeeding his brother Amo as Chairman and CEO in 1983. He stepped down in 1996 but was asked to return as CEO again from 2002 to 2005 ("I failed retirement," he joked). While at Corning he was an early champion of diversity in the workforce and Total Quality Management. He was a tireless cheerleader for the values by which he lived and for which he personally held the company accountable.
Jamie served on many corporate and non-profit boards, including MetLife, CBS, Exxon, JP Morgan, the Morgan Library and the Corning Museum of Glass. At one point in his career Jamie was simultaneously Chairman of Corning Inc., Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Senior Fellow of the Harvard Corporation. He gave himself to many, but whenever he said "we," we, his family, knew he was thinking of us.
Jamie loved to fish for salmon on the Moisie River and to sail his Morris 27' in Penobscot Bay, Maine. He idolized Fred Astaire, danced a mean two step and sang Broadway show tunes and choral hymns with equal passion. He wrote his own lyrics and poems for many family occasions. He happily played golf with the same eightsome for many years. He built stone walls on his Corning property, smoked cigars by the pond, loved red wine, enjoyed drawing and reading American history (the longer the book the better). From the age of 9, he was a faithful Red Sox fan.
During his last years he was lovingly cared for by Rose, Jackie, Marna, Nannette, Nicole, Darcia and many other wonderful caregivers.
A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, May 5th, 2023 at 11am at the Memorial Church of Harvard University, One Harvard Yard, Cambridge, MA 02138, with a reception to follow at Loeb House, 17 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Laura Richardson Houghton Youth Center in Corning NY, Big Tree Boating in Islesboro, ME, or your local Planned Parenthood.