Sylvia "Sis" Ganz Houle

Sylvia “Sis” Ganz Houle, a lifelong Phoenician, died peacefully at home on March 19, 2026, at the age of 97. Born in Phoenix on April 18, 1928 to Sylvan and Pauline Reardan Ganz, Sis was part of an early Arizona family. Her grandfather, Emil Ganz, a German Jewish immigrant, was elected mayor of Phoenix three times in the 1880s and 1890s. She attended St. Francis Xavier Elementary School and grew up on Verde Lane when Phoenix was a small and close-knit city. She fondly recalled spending her days swimming and playing tennis at the Phoenix Country Club with her siblings and friends. Summers were spent in Prescott at the Mountain Club and in Iron Springs, or riding horses with friends at the Brophy and Orme Ranches.

She attended North High School before graduating from Saint Mary’s High School in 1946. She went on to the University of Arizona, earning a degree in education in 1950, and was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. While at the University of Arizona, she met her husband, Alan Sturgeon Houle, through friends, and they bonded when he caught her laughing at his jokes. They married in Los Angeles in 1951 while he was attending graduate school at UCLA. They shared a long and very happy marriage.

Sis began her professional life in education, initially teaching children of migrant workers and in later years serving as a substitute teacher and volunteer tutor at Saint Mary’s High School.

In the 1980s, Sis and Alan opened Houle Books in central Phoenix. The bookstore became a well-known local fixture, recognized for its strong selection of travel, art, and international titles and its knowledgeable staff.

She was a devoted reader and traveler and developed a fearless command of Spanish. For decades, she was part of a weekly group known as the “Spanish Ladies,” where gourmet lunches, friendship, and humor mattered as much as the lesson.

Sis inherited her mother’s interest in antiques, learning furniture refinishing and chair caning, and later established an appraisal business specializing in antique silver and China.

She served on the Board of Visitors and was one of the original Phoenix Flower Girls during the wartime years, along with her sister and friends. Her involvement also included the Junior League, the Arizona Historical Society, the Arizona Jewish Historical Society, the University of Arizona Alumni Board, and she was always available to lend a hand to the PTA.

A devoted Catholic, she was a longtime member of St. Theresa’s Parish and later the Franciscan Renewal Center.

She is survived by her daughters Laurie (David Gutierrez), Polly Houle, and Maria Houle; her grandchildren Genevieve (David Gil), Juliette (David Fernandez), and Kiki Houle; and her great-grandchildren Sylvia Gil and Gabriel Fernandez. She is also survived by her sister, Joan Ganz Cooney; her nieces and nephews Margaret Ganz, Charlie Ganz (Betsy) and Bill Ganz, Wesley Ganz (Róisín) and Grace Ganz.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Alan, in 2010, and her brother, Emil Paul “Bus” Ganz in 2012.

Sis was known for her humor and directness. She stayed in touch and remained engaged in daily life well into her later years.

A funeral service will be held at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home chapel at 4800 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85018, on May 4 at 11:00 a.m. Private interment will follow at the Houle family plot in Nogales, Arizona.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: St. Mary’s Foodbank or Hospice of the Valley.