Thursday, March 28, 2024

Obituary of Shirley Houser , 81

Name of Deceased Shirley Houser
Age 81
Date of Death 04/29/2015
Date of Birth 11/20/1933
Funeral Home Wetzler Funeral Service, Inc.

Shirley Louise Houser, 81, of Valley View, passed away peacefully on Wednesday afternoon, April 29, 2015, at the Mount Nittany Medical Center, after suffering a sudden heart attack at home.
Born November 20, 1933, in Bellefonte, she was a daughter of the late John Henry and Mary Della (Hillard) Shawley. She was also raised by her grandparents, the late Miller and Catherine (Hockenberry) Shawley, who played a formative role in her life. She grew up in Bellefonte, and was a 1952 graduate of the Bellefonte High School.
On December 16, 1952, in Frederick, MD, she married Ralph Richard Houser, Sr. who survives at home. They shared more than 62 years of marriage together.

Shirley was a faithful Christian who prayed and studied her Bible daily. Since 1958, she had been a faithful member of the Valley View United Methodist Church, and had served in many church offices, including as a Sunday school teacher and Communion Steward. Earlier in life, she was a member of the former Trinity EUB Church in Bellefonte, where she sang in the choir. She tried to share the love of Christ with everyone she met. She was a woman of great faith and a tremendous source of strength for her family in times of adversity.
Shirley was a fantastic cook, and also loved to crochet, and she used these talents to share many gifts with relatives, friends, and those in need. Her home was a center of family life and she especially loved to host birthday parties, holiday dinners, and cookouts for her family. She loved to sit on her porch swing and enjoy the flowers and animals. For many years, she and her husband enjoyed helping to care for her daughter’s Bernese Mountain Dogs, Blaze, Toby, Nick, and Riker. She had a ready wit and always had wise advice to share with anyone who needed it. She took a deep interest in all of her family members. Above all, she was a devoted and loving wife, and mother, and grandmother.

Shirley was a hard worker. She retired from the Pennsylvania State University Milk Testing Laboratory in 1993. Earlier in life, she had worked as a baby sitter, she also worked for the G.C. Murphy Company in Bellefonte, for Penn Tran in Bellefonte, and in Foods and Housing at Penn State. Since her earliest days she had worked very hard at home as well, and in midlife she devoted her time and energy to help care for her parents and parents-in-law during their final illnesses. She regarded all of her struggles in life as opportunities to deepen her walk with her Lord.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her son, Ralph R. Houser, Jr.(Catherine), of Valley View; her daughter, Susan E. Houser (Kenneth Robinson) of Bellefonte; and her grandchildren, Justin Houser and Jamilyn Houser, both of Valley View. She is also survived by several brothers-in-laws, sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was the last of her generation, having been preceded in death by six brothers, William Shawley, Lewis Shawley, Thomas Shawley, Richard Shawley, Frederick Shawley, and John Shawley, and by a sister, Faye Witmer.

Friends will be received Saturday May 2, 2015, from 9:30am until 11:00am the time of the service at the Wetzler Funeral Service, Inc. in Bellefonte.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, at 11:00am at the funeral home with the Pastor Calvin Miller officiating.

Burial will follow at the Meyer Cemetery in Benner Township.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Valley View United Methodist Church at 126 Apple Street, Bellefonte, PA, 16823.