Houssels, J. K., Jr. (John Kell), 1922-2017

John Kell Houssels Jr. was born in Denver, Colorado on December 11, 1922. His family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada when he was eight years old, and his father recieved one of Nevada's first gambling licenses. John Kell, also known as Ike, would follow in his father's footsteps and go on to help Las Vegas gain fame as an entertainment destination. After serving in the military and finishing his undergraduate education at West Point Military Academy in 1945, he went to law school at Stanford. After finishing his schooling, he returned to Las Vegas.

In Las Vegas, he worked as an assistant district attorney and then was elected as a state Assemblyman in 1950. After his term, he moved into the family business, working as the vice president of the Tropicana while his father was the owner and president of the resort. After his father passed away, John Kell Jr. took over the Tropicana as well as the other hotels and casinos, such as the Showboat and Union Plaza. While working at the Tropicana, he met his future wife Nancy, and the two married and had three children: James, Kelly, and Eric. John Kell Houssels Jr. died on April 16, 2017.

Source:

Hershkovitz, Rachel. "Gaming Leader J.K. Houssels Jr. Remembered for Role in Industry, Community." Las Vegas Review-Journal, April 16, 2017. https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/gaming-leader-j-k-houssels-jr-remembered-for-role-in-industry-community/.