Born in New Haven, Connecticut, March 21, 1939. Peacefully passed away in St. Louis, July 19, 2026, at the age of 87.
John grew up in Iowa City, Iowa. He attended Roosevelt Grade School and later graduated from Iowa City High School in 1957. He enlisted in the U.S. Army that fall, and after basic training and advanced individual training, he was stationed briefly at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. His permanent duty station as a Signal Corps Specialist was in the Panama Canal Zone. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army with the rank of Specialist 5 (Sp5) in August 1960. He often spoke about how his Army service helped shape his work ethic and decision making.
He later attended the University of Iowa, graduating in 1967 with a Bachelor’s degree in Art. It was in his art courses that he discovered his life’s passion: photography and cinematography. He chased that dream to Hollywood, California, and later to St. Louis, Missouri, where he transitioned from film photography into the digital world of photography, freelancing across that market.
In 1999, John began teaching as an Adjunct Professor at Webster University in St. Louis. His knowledge of filmmaking spanned decades, as he moved from the science of film through the video revolution and into the digital age. Over nearly two decades at Webster, he mentored students across generations, influencing many careers, and connected with students and faculty alike through a shared love of storytelling and image-making.
John was a great storyteller, teacher, and jokester — his nieces and nephews would attest to that. He also cherished his almost-daily phone calls with his brother Dave, reminiscing about the challenges and experiences of growing up together.
John was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Margaret Huston. He is survived by his brother David and his wife Sherry; nieces and nephews Ryan Huston, Trista Huston Loops, Vandi Huston, and Lindsey Edman; and great-nieces and great-nephews Gavin Huston, Emily Huston, Josiah Huston, Jackson Loops, Alex Loops, Kika Huston, Ananda Evans, Veronica Edman, Harrison Edman, and Quinton Edman.
No services are planned at this time.
John Huston taught me so much of what I teach students today. He had an interesting way to get concepts to stick with you by presenting common problems and then letting you find your own solutions with as little intervention as needed but all the guidance you needed when you hit a dead end. It was a really effective method that some students misunderstood, but we all benefited from.
He was a good guy, and I’m sorry to hear he’s gone.
I met John on July 26th, 1980 When I was hired to work on a TV commercial. It was my first job and I got there early and wondered if I was at the right place. After a while, John pulled up and asked if I was there for the commercial. I told him yes and introduced myself. He said hi, I’m John Houston. I looked at him and I said no you’re not John Houston. I know who John Houston is! He then laughed and told me that I was right, but that I was also wrong as that was his name. I was a freelancer and worked with him off and on for over 20 years. We talked of many things during those years. May his memory be a blessing to his family and to all who knew him
I grew up in the Huston Household . David and I were the same age and John was the elder brother. He didn’t care about cars when we did but his passion for film and what it could do was addictive it its own way. He led me to my first Nikon FTN. Opened a beautiful world. He allowed us our cars but never lost interest in the small wonders and very large universe
John taught in the best way possible. He let people discover and then showed how to preserve the discovery
I’ve thought about him often seventy plus years since Lucon Drive. He added to my life, made it better. I know he made me a better person.
Thank you, John
Jerry, thank you for your kind words.
John Huston served as cinematographer for many films that I directed in the 1970s, mostly educational, mostly dramatic. He took pride in his camerawork and lighting and added artistry to every film he worked on. I could not have asked for a better partner-in-crime.
I met John when I started work at the Communico Educational Division, and he shot my first three fledgling efforts. More significantly he shot many other beautiful, award-winning films which enhanced the reputations of Communico and its parent company, Maritz. We moved together to KETC-TV, where he shot about fifty films for me, including five for the Emmy-Award winning series Inside Out. Anyone who worked on those casts or crews will remember John fondly for his talent, gentleness, and quirkiness. He mentored a number of young filmmakers.
Several years ago John and I each donated our prints of those films to the Motion-Picture Archives of the Indiana University Libraries. The ones he shot for me at KETC can be viewed on-line, since the Agency for Instructional Technology, which produced those series, has released its body of work to the Archives. The Archives has digitized John’s Communico films and is seeking clearance from The Maritz Corporation to make them available to the public. They include some of John’s finest work.
I met John about 1983 at Technisonic , when they were still on Brentwood . He was Ac for Roel , the staff cameraman , when they were doing 35 mm film . John was always funny and quirky . John always made it more plesent on the set . He was a great friend to my step-dad , Dave Lewis . Dave was also a AC back in the day . They both assisted both Fay caughn and Frank Ruttencutter on countless Jobs . Frank & Fay were Legends too . Frank on Boris Karloff movies and Fay Several John Wayne westerns . All of these men taught this young kid a lot , and I was Fortunate enough to know them all and call them my friends . Miss You John !