Christina Diane (Orben) Houghtaling

Houghtaling, Christina Diane Orben, 42, passed away on March 23, 2024 in Mechanicsville, Virginia (formerly of Glen Allen, VA) as a result of complications due to Huntington’s Disease.  She was born in Richmond, VA on Nov. 8, 1981, to James Montgomery Orben and Diane Vermilyea Orben. Her most precious gift in the world were her twin daughters, Riley Willow and Madison Faith Houghtaling whom she deeply and fiercely loved and cherished. Christina grew up in Richmond, VA with her brothers, Stephen, Matthew and Charles.  She was christened and received her First Communion and Confirmation at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Richmond, VA. She graduated from Radford University with a BS in Education, where she was a member of the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority. She received her Master of Education from The University of Virginia as an Elementary Education Reading Specialist. With her love for children, she thrived as a teacher in the second grade classroom at Jouett Elementary School and later as a District reading specialist. She was an accomplished athlete growing up playing competitive softball and performing at the top of the pyramid as a cheerleader. She loved to spend time at the beach at Nags Head, The James River and at Lake Champlain in Charlotte, VT.  Her joy for life was infectious and she was a tenacious participant in it. As a mom, Christina was the best!  She loved reading to her girls, helping them with their schoolwork, holding impromptu dance parties, decorating for every holiday, taking them apple picking and to fall festivals, and bringing them to the playground, pool, and library. She enjoyed keeping a beautiful home, cooking, doing their hair, and caring for their everyday needs.  She was so very proud of them and their amazing accomplishments. Christina was a compassionate human to all those around her. She had a wonderful sense of humor, and despite the many challenges she faced, she remained cheerful and optimistic. Her positive energy was contagious. She fought a very long and hard battle against Huntington’s Disease, a progressive neurological genetic disease. Through it all her priority was to be with her girls. A special thank you to her longtime caregiver, Brittney Vaughan, who provided unwavering care and comfort and to Drs. Madaline Harrison and Alex Dalrymple and their incredible team at the Huntington’s Disease Clinic at UVA Health. Christina was preceded in death by her father, her brother, Charles, her grandparents, Victoria and George Vermilyea and her paternal grandmother Jean Montgomery Orben. She is survived by her eleven year old daughters, Madison and Riley, brothers Stephen and Matthew Orben, mother Diane Vermilyea Orben, aunts and uncles Nancy Orben Small and Roger Keller, Donald and Mary Jo Vermilyea, Dennis and Berniece Vermilyea, Patricia and John Leslie Day,  Mary Ann and Mark Yovish, and Kenneth Vermilyea, cousins Alexandra and Mike Kavouksorian, Meghan and Asha Zimmerman, Charlotte and Sean McGonagill, Jonathan Day, Ashley Miller and Kevin Vermilyea as well as their children Olivia Kavouksorian, Skylar and Everette Zimmerman and Rory McGonagill. The family will be celebrating her life with a memorial service to be held on Friday, April 12th at 2:00 pm at St Mary’s Catholic Church, 9505 Gayton Rd, Henrico, VA. All are welcome. Burial will follow in Milford, PA. Donations, in Christina’s memory, may be made to the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA.org) to support care and research for those afflicted with HD or to Hanover County Public Schools Reading Olympics program Hanover Education Foundation (https://hcps.us/staff/hanover_education_foundation/donate) or to Jouett Elementary School, 315 Jouett School Rd, Mineral, VA 23117 to support their reading programs.

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