Toni Denise Alexander-Houghton
April 14, 1957 – March 17, 2026

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our mother, Toni Alexander­Houghton.

Toni was born in Red Deer, Alta., on April 14, 1957, to Eldon and Marie Alexander. The younger sister to Greg and Joyce and, soon after, a sister to her little brother David.

When Toni was very young, the family moved to the Rocky area, first residing in the Ferrier and Garth districts, and later in town near Lochearn, where she attended elementary school. She went on to attend Will Sinclair High School.

As a young girl, skating at the Rocky arena occupied much of Toni’s time. She developed a passion for hockey and played on the first all-girls team In Rocky — much to the delight of her dad, Eldon, as neither of her brothers had chosen hockey as their sport.

After graduating high school, Toni worked in the general insurance industry at Helen Hunley Agencies. In 1977, she married Bud Austad and became a full-time mom with the arrival of her children, Scott, Aron, Kyle and Kirstin.
With three boys in hockey, the Austad family devoted a great deal of time to the sport. Toni’s involvement led to a long a fulfilling career as the organizing administrator and office manager for the Rocky Minor Hockey Association — a position she enjoyed and took great pride in for many years.

In 2018, after what we used to joke was the longest engagement in history, she married her true love, Earle Houghton. Earle cherished Toni. Together they enjoyed trips to Salt Spring Island, Arizona and Palm Springs. Meeting Earle led Toni to another one of her passions — golf. She would often let us know that between her and Earle, she was the better golfer. You could often find them at Pine Hills, enjoying a round of golf together, or with a grandchild or two in tow.

Some of their happiest times were spent with friends and family, especially their many grandchildren and their two dachshunds. Sadly, their time was cut short by Earle’s early passing.

Toni’s greatest joy was her grandchildren. It didn’t take much to get her talking about their latest adventures, how quickly they were growing, or how well they were doing in their sports. She was lovingly referred to as “Grandma Bone” and was extremely proud of her unique moniker.

Toni was a fabulous cook and knew all the secrets to baking. Her puffed wheat squares and other desserts remained a favourite of her grandkids and community members, being served at the arena. You could always tell by the line up at the arena concession that Toni had arrived with some fresh baking that everyone was eager to get their hands on.

Toni is survived by her children: Scott (Erin Verhaeghe), Aron (Erin), Kyle (Kailyn) and Kirstin (Chris); her grandchildren: Layne, Cali, Tegan, Linden, Brogan, Byrklie, Aspen, Kypton, Kinsley, Hadley, Palmer and Jorie; her brother Greg and sister Joyce (Boyd); as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends, and her beoved dachshunds, Wally and Barkley.

A celebration of life for Toni will be held on April 11, 2026, at 1 p.m. at the Rocky Arena.

Donations in Toni’ s memory may be made to the Alberta Dachshund Society, or the Heart and Stroke Foundation.