Obituaries Archive
Obituaries » Ann E. Houser
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Show Obituaries Show Guestbook Show Photos QR Code PrintA celebration of life will be held on Sunday, September 8, 2024, from 2:00 pm. to 4:00 p.m. at Friendship Village 1400 N Drake Rd in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Follow signs to the Garden Homes and Club House. 4309 Persian Wood Drive. Ann indicated she would love donations be made in her name to your local chapter of PBS-Public Broadcasting Station, or Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
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Ann was born March 27, 1948, in Fort Wayne Indiana. She went to high school in Battle
Creek Michigan but lived in Kalamazoo much of her adult life. Ann was preceded in
death by her father, Bernard Houser and her mother, Hazel Swinehart Houser. Ann
never married but she loved and admired her family, never missing a family events until
she could no longer travel. She is survived by siblings Alan Houser, Rosemary Houser
(Scott Albers), Nancy Houser-Bluhm (Jon) and Alan’s ex-wife Claudia. She loved each
niece and nephew. Jacob Houser (Mary Louks), Beth Wallace, Mitch Albers (Stephanie
Glidden), Luke Houser (Melissa Neal), Tom Albers (Hanna Feaster), Molly Bradshaw
(Kevin). She was just getting to know her great nieces and nephews-Regan, Eva,
Sloan, Landon, Isaac, Lennox and Mallory, but enjoyed the energy they brought along.
Ann attended Western Michigan University where she obtained a bachelor’s and
master’s degree while working full time. Ann worked in Battle Creek at a title company
before heading to Big Brother Big Sisters where she worked for many years. During this
time, she mentored two girls serving as their Big Sister. Ann loved guiding them and
providing them with experiences. She was the Big Sister of the Year in 1979. Ann’s
involvement inspired others to become Big Sisters also.
After Big Brother Big Sisters, she began working at Western Michigan as a secretary to
the university’s Investment/Finance manager. Ann was one of those understated, highly
capable employees. She advanced to data management in Human Services, working
closely with payroll for both professional and classified staff and became manager of
that department. She transitioned into the main office of Human Resources
management where her department oversaw all personnel records, still coordinating
with payroll. She and the team over saw campus wide job classifications and job
descriptions. People may recall the systems such as People Soft occupied much of her
mind. She also became involved in training staff how to use the systems. In 2006, Ann
retired after 28 years at the university.
Ann was always a creative and had a good eye for color and design. The Bronson Park
art fair was a favorite each year. She was an adept seamstress. During the 70s
embroidery craze she created fine designs. Her sisters looked forward to wonderful
handmade outfits at Christmas. Ann found her joy with pottery. Family and friends have
decorative pieces as well as unique dishes in their homes. She enjoyed placing an
offering of pieces in a room and letting people select their own. Sadly, for the art world,
shoulder replacement surgery ended her days of throwing clay.
During her early years Ann played on softball leagues with what became lifelong
friends. As one softball friend cited, those were the days of playing ball, going to the bar
and closing said bar. Those days transitioned to other pursuits. Ann enjoyed theater
looking forward to plays at Miller Auditorium and the Barn Theater. A friend remembered
trips to see Shakespeare festivals. She loved golf and played on a league for years.
She was an avid gardener and an officer for the Kalamazoo Grow and Show Garden
Club. She continued serving as treasurer even when she could no longer attend
meetings in order to be of service and to remain engaged. Ann was also an avid reader
and was active in a book club. A testimony to the depth of her friendships shown
through their willingness to hold book club at Ann’s house each month when she could
no longer travel to them.
Ann is fondly remembered as the ultimate Christmas Eve hostess. Years on years of
memorable family gatherings took place in her living room.
Ann overcame two cancers and lived with numerous other health related issues. One
message that resounded as friends and family learned of her death was how she
carried all her illnesses. She never complained. She was upbeat and greeted people
with a smile. She loved hearing about what people were up to.
Ann was intelligent, kind, caring, and quietly wise and witty. A friend described her as
intelligent and very, very independent. She befriended all those who entered her house;
the cleaners, the caregivers all enjoyed her. She carried happiness with her and
laughed easily. She touched so many people in this life and her spirit is greatly missed.