Matthew Philip Houseal

Dr. Matthew Philip Houseal gave his life on May 11, while helping those who needed him in war-torn Iraq.  He was a physician known for his brilliance, his compassion, and his generosity but most especially for his humility. His achievements were many and great but his most precious gift was always his family.He was born in Washington, D.C. on January 15, 1955.  He graduated High School from St. Joseph MI, receiving an undergraduate merit scholarship for his studies on turtle hearing at the University of Michigan.  This was followed by a Master’s degree in Biology and an M.D. also at the University of Michigan.  After a surgical internship at Henry Ford Hospital, he went through the Officers Training School in the U.S. Navy. He had learned to fly while in college and he held a private pilot license, a crop dusting license, and was a Certified Flight instructor with more than 10,000 hours of flight time in different types of aircraft.  He was a multi-talented individual who received many coveted awards and scholarships.  He had an insatiable desire to learn. His medical achievements included a Psychiatry residency at Texas Tech University in Lubbock with Board Certifications in Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, and Geriatric Psychiatry.  Dr. Houseal was the winter-over physician at the U.S. South Pole Station in 1990-1991 where he studied seasonal affective disorders.  He had worked at TPHMR for close to twelve years.He joined the Army Reserve as a Major in 2007 to lend his psychiatry skills after being concerned by the rising suicide rate in the military. Dr. Houseal is survived by his wife, Dr. Luzma Houseal and his seven children: Teresa, Catherine, David, Isabel, Patrick and Monica of Amarillo, Texas and Kelly Houseal of Beijing.  His parents,  William and Helen Houseal; five brothers--Dr. Timothy Houseal (Leslie) of Spring Lake, MI; LTC Stephen Houseal,  U.S. Army retired ( Julie) of Midland, MI;  Joseph Houseal of Chicago, IL; Friar David Houseal  of Maine, NY; and John Houseal (Gail); three sisters--Col Anne T. Houseal, U.S. Air Force (Paul Houser) of Warner Robins, GA; Elizabeth Nightingale of Stevensville, MI and Maria Johnston (Jeff) of St Joseph, MI; 26 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his paternal and his maternal grandparents.A benefit fund has been established for Dr. Houseal’s minor children at the Amarillo National Bank, 410 S. Taylor St., Amarillo TX 79101

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