Ted D. Houser, 80, of Griswold, IA, died Wednesday morning, December 15, 2010, at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Red Oak, IA.

Ted Duane Houser was born in Pottawattamie County near the Wheeler Grove area on January 1, 1930, the son of Lyle Vernon and Marie Bessie (McCormick) Houser. The family moved to Griswold and Ted graduated from Griswold High School in 1949 where he was active in sports. Ted went into the U.S. Army during the Korean War in 1951. He and Doris Lucille Hemphill were married on December 31, 1951, at her parent's home south of town. During Ted's service to his country, he spent one year in France before his discharge in 1953.

On his return from the Army, he started farming then went to work for Griffin Pipe Co. in Council Bluffs. He later then went to work in the carpenter trade. In the mid 60's, Ted bought and sold walnut logs and then, as elm trees were dying, began Ted Houser Tree and Stump Removal which he operated until the mid 70's. He worked for Na-Churs Plant Food in Red Oak before starting Houser's Greenhouse, which he operated until 1982. He worked for the Beef Plant in Oakland until it closed and then worked bridge construction with Cohron Construction in Atlantic. He was a maintenance man for D & L in Red Oak and in recent years drove a school bus for the Griswold Community School District retiring from that in 2008.

Ted was always an active outdoors person that enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, flowers, and landscaping. His family called him the "Master Deer Slayer". Ted enjoyed woodworking, building furniture and toys, but he also enjoyed baking with his grandchildren. If the grandchildren were involved with a sporting event, Ted would be there to cheer them on.
Ted was a member of the Griswold United Methodist Church, Griswold American Legion Post #508, a former member of the Elks Lodge, and was currently serving a term on the Griswold Cemetery Board.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his son Steven on April 21, 1968, and by his brothers Marion and Forrest Houser and his sister-in-law Joyce (Howard) Houser.

Survivors include his wife, children and grandchildren: wife Doris of Griswold; his daughter Jewell Anne Moore and husband Tom and children Kaitlan, Thomas and Lauren of Griswold; his sons Reid D. Houser and wife Virginia and children Brittany, Breanna and Brooklyn of Treynor, IA; and Wade A. Houser and wife Yan Jing and children Rebecca and Jacob of Parker, CO. Also surviving are his brothers Gerald Houser and wife Joan of Griswold and Howard Houser of Whittier, CA, his sisters-in-law Joanne (Forrest) Houser of Grand Island, NE and Jean (Marion) Houser of Griswold as well as several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 18, 2010 at 11:30 AM at the Griswold United Methodist Church, Pastor Dwight Grosvenor and Pastor Phil Waggoner officiating. Burial will be in the Griswold Cemetery with Military Honors. Open visitation will be at the Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold and the family will be present from 6:00 to 7:30 PM Friday.