Mrytle I. "Marty" Houser, 76, of Rural Columbus, Kansas passed away 9:06 p.m. Sunday at the St. John's-Maude Norton Memorial Hospital in Columbus, Ks. after a sudden illness.

Mrs. Houser was born February 13, 1928 in Quapaw, Oklahoma the daughter of Harry and Gladys (Glascock) Burch. She graduated from P.S.U. with a Bachelors Degree. She worked as a legal secretary for a number of years at Armstrong & Armstrong Atty's. in Columbus, Ks.

She was a member of the First Christian Church in Columbus, Kansas. She was an avid reader and loved to do genealogy.

She married Glen Houser on May 20, 1955 at the First Christian Church in Columbus, Kansas. He survives of the home.

Additional survivors include three daughters: Anne Taylor of Baxter Springs, Ks.; Janet Houser-Ott of Arvada, Colo.; Andrea Merrel of Tonganoxie, Kansas. Four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by 2 sisters, Velma Lyons and Muriel Black and 1 brother Raymond D. Burch.

Memorial graveside rites will be 2:30 P.M. Wednesday (March 17, 2004) at the Greenlawn Cemetery with the Rev. Joe Gentzler officiating. A celebration of Marty's life will be after the graveside services starting at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the family's home in rural Columbus, Kansas. In lieu of flowers the family asks for memorials to the Columbus Public Library and may be sent to or left at the Simpson Funeral Home at 323 S. Kansas Ave. Columbus, Kansas 66725.