She was a life-long resident of Frederick County. She was the 10th of 11 children in her family, and her nickname was derived from the color of her hair, white “cotton”, as she was growing up. She was raised in rural Frederick County on the farms owned by her father and mother. She married James E Houff, a fireman and engineer for the B&O Railroad, in 1945, continuing to live in Frederick for the first two years of their marriage. They lived in Adamstown from 1947-1961, then moved to Frederick, where they lived until his death in 2003. She moved to Assisted Living at Homewood at Crumland Farms in 2013, where she was a resident at the time of her death. She worked with the Ladies Auxilary of the Adamstown Volunteer Fire Department, as builders of the firehouse, and for fundraisers, carnivals and other events. She was active in their church, singing in the choir, and supporting every church supper and activity that occurred. To help their children go to college, she and her husband started a coin-operated laundromat business in Frederick in 1962, where she was the manager, supervisor and chief cook and bottle washer for the next 15 years. She also began volunteering at Homewood when it was downtown in the Old Francis Scott Key Hotel, doing sewing and darning and alterations and anything else that needed doing for the residents. When her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, she became his constant companion, caregiver, protector and advocate until his death in 2003. Following his passing, she volunteered at the Grace Reformed United Church of Christ in Frederick, doing any and every job that needed doing. During her last two years at Crumland Farms, she did sewing, alterations, and anything she could for the other residents.

She was predeceased by her parents, Lizzie Coblentz and Erie Calvin Biser, and eight of her siblings. She is survived by her son and daughter; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; an older brother and her younger sister; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Visitation was held on Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at the Keeney & Basford Funeral Home,Frederick, MD. A service in celebration of her life was held at the Grace Reformed United Church of Christ, Frederick, followed by a reception after the service.