Houser, Ida Mae Becker

Ida Mae Becker Houser, 89, of Cedar Rapids, died July 1, 2011, after a brief illness. Funeral Mass: 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 6, at St. Ludmila Catholic Church, by the Rev. Thomas McDermott. Burial: St. John's Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Cedar Memorial Westside Chapel, where a prayer vigil will begin at 7 p.m.

Ida Mae was born Jan. 28, 1922, in Watkins, Iowa. She married Ralph P. Houser on Aug. 9, 1949, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Watkins. She was a graduate of Mount Mercy College and taught for 22 years at St. Ludmila Catholic School in Cedar Rapids.

For many years she volunteered at Mercy Medical Center as a Eucharistic Minister and at the Crawford Diabetes Center. She was a member of St. Ludmila Catholic Church, where she was active in St. Monica's Circle, and sang in the Resurrection Choir.

Survivors include a daughter, Marijo (Jerry) Beasler of Cedar Rapids; three sons, John (Susan)

Houser and Larry (Patty) Houser, both of Cedar Rapids, and David (Kathy) Houser of Shueyville; two sisters, Sister Mary Ann Becker RSM of Cedar Rapids and Sister Marlys Becker OSF of Sioux City; 10 grandchildren, Dan, Kelly and Mark Houser, Hannah Stolba, Jacob Houser, Lindsey and Kristen Beasler, Korie Shippee, Erin Cronier and Jill Nunez; 12 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Bernice, Mary and Dorothy Becker, Helen Lunacek, Lillian Houser and Margaret Wells; brother-in-law, Bob (Rita) Houser; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband, Ralph, she was preceded in death by her parents, John C. and Anna (Frese) Becker; three brothers, George, Louis and Wilbert; and two sisters, Helen Oberreuter Boddicker and Hazel Schulte.

Ida Mae touched many lives and was a lifelong teacher who will be deeply missed by her loving family and many friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family or a charity of the donor's choice.