BOYD E. HAUSER

LAMAR-A memorial celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Lamar United Methodist Church for Boyd E. Hauser, 89, Lamar, who died Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017, at his home, following a brief stay in the hospital. Visitation will be held at the church, prior to the service, beginning at 10 a.m. A lunch will be served at the church following the service.

Arrangements are under the direction of Konantz Warden Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Lamar United Methodist Church.

The obituary may be viewed and condolences sent online at www.konantzwarden.com.

Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Wilma Jean Hauser, of the home; two sisters, Betty Bigbee and Pat Gordon, both of Springfield; three daughters, Gwen DeSeure, Lamar, Sherry Bardezbain, Phoenix, Ariz. and Teresa McGough and husband Jeff, Acworth, Ga.; two sons, Gary Hauser and wife Colleen, Knoxville, Tenn. and David Hauser and wife Anne, Lenexa, Kan.; 12 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren and two additional great-grandchildren on the way.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Wiley Hauser and Roger Hauser.

Mr. Hauser was born Feb. 27, 1927, at the family farmhouse west of Sheldon, to Lawrence Boyd and Anna (Purcell) Hauser. He was valedictorian of Sheldon High School in 1945 and left to serve in the Navy prior to his high school graduation. He served three years in the Navy post-World War II and got his Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education at Southwest Missouri State Teachers College in 1954. He furthered his education with a Master's degree in Education from the University of Kansas in 1957.

He started his career as an educator by teaching grades 1-8 in a one room school house in Prairie Center, west of Sheldon, prior to finishing college. In 1955, after moving to Kansas City, he taught at South Park Elementary and went on to become one of the first of two junior high counselors in the state of Kansas, working in that position at both Hocker Grove and Hillcrest Junior High Schools. In 1962 he became principal at Hillcrest Junior High. He then transferred to the North Kansas City School District and was assistant principal for 17 years (1963-1980) at Northgate Junior High and counselor at North Kansas City High School his final 10 years (1981-1990), before retiring in 1990.

He bought the family farm in 1973 and fulfilled his lifelong love for the family farm. He spent his summers and retirement years growing vegetables in numerous gardens, mowing grass, picking mushrooms, cutting brush, building fences, driving tractors and having fun. He delighted in his grandkids and made it to everyone of their high school graduations, not to mention many of their marriages, sporting events, school concerts and too many birthdays to count.

He was a Naval veteran, lifetime member of the National Education Association (NEA), Phi Delta Kappa member, as well as member of the Retired Teachers Association and the Lamar United Methodist Church.