Larry Keith Houser

He was born in Pasadena, CA on September 18th, 1940, the son of the late Chloe Hadley “Pike” and Evelyn Jean (nee Evans) Houser. Keith graduated from Carthage Senior High School (MO) in 1958 and enlisted in the US Navy where he served until 1961. He started college at Missouri Southern State College in Joplin, MO and later obtained his business degree from Columbia College (MO) in 1976.

After moving to Ohio in 1978, Keith began working at Ohio Casualty Insurance in Hamilton, where he was employed until 2000. After his retirement, he kept busy doing multiple part time jobs. He was most proud of his position as a delivery driver for Cincinnati Meals on Wheels.

Keith is survived by his wife of almost 45 years, Wanda (nee Morris). Additionally, he leaves behind his 4 children: Kevin (Michelle) Houser of Carthage, MO; Kellie (Russ) Leaming of Sarcoxie, MO; Erin (Steven) Kelly of Liberty Twp, OH and Kyle (Alana) Houser of Fairfield, OH. He was adored by his grandchildren: Wrenn, Ariel (David), Alivia, Ashlyn, Hannah, Hadley and Sienna. He also leaves behind many loving nieces, nephews, in-laws and countless friends. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Gary.

He spent his free time watching the Reds, Bengals, and University of Missouri athletic teams on TV from the comfort of his couch (napping as often as watching). He loved yard-work, bowling, crossword puzzles, boating, attending family sporting events, and an ice cold beer after a long day. Keith was always known for helping relatives and friends with household projects. He also helped coach various soccer, basketball, and baseball teams while his kids were growing up.

The family would like to send a sincere thank you to all the friends and extended family who provided constant love and support during the final years of Keith’s life. No amount of words can express how thankful the family is to have those people in their lives.

A special thank you to the staff (particularly floors 4 & 5) at Mercy Hospital in Fairfield for their loving care and support during his final year. He became known as the (self anointed) hospital entertainer; he enjoyed joking with the staff members, many of which visited him long after he was no longer their patient.

Sincerest appreciation for his oncologist Dr. Prasad R. Kudalkar and Mercy hospitalist Dr. Saiyid-Naufal Zaidi for treating him like a family member instead of a patient during his last few months. We are forever grateful to them for going above and beyond with his care, researching new treatment options and continued refusal to give up on him.

A celebration of life will be scheduled at a future date, at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Meals on Wheels C/O Community First Solutions 230 Ludlow Street Hamilton, OH 45011. https://mealsonwheelshc.org), Tri-State Honor Flight (https://www.honorflighttristate.org), or Animal Friends Humane Society (http://www.animalfriendshs.org). THE WEBSTER FUNERAL HOME 3080 Homeward Way at Rt. 4, Fairfield is serving the family. www.websterfuneralhomes.com