Kansas Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists (KNCSB)

Memorial service honors WCC volunteer

The late Richard Houser, pictured here with his wife, Velda, was a WCC volunteer for more than 10 years before his death in December 2007. Kansas-Nebraska Campers on Mission paid tribute to Houser in a memorial service during their spring rally at WCC.

Kansas-Nebraska Campers on Mission paid tribute to a fellow Christian servant during their recent spring rally at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan.

Richard Houser, a long-time COM member, died in December 2007 while many of the campers were in warmer climates for the winter.

Houser and his wife, Velda, had volunteered at Webster for more than 10 years. They lived at nearby Abilene, Kan., before they sold their home and made their recreational vehicle their full-time home.

WCC was their home for at least six months out of the year. They spent the winter months serving down South.
Floyd Smith led the memorial service for Houser on Saturday night, May 3. Smith and his wife, Mildred, retired on Dec. 31, 2007, after serving on the WCC staff for 10 years.

Smith recalled Houser’s willingness to take on whatever task he was asked to do. Despite being afraid of heights, he went up in the “cherry picker” to trim limbs 50 feet up in the air.

Houser was a self-taught electrician who learned that skill from studying the National Electrical Code. He did much of the electrical work on the WCC motel. Velda was constantly at his side, handing him tools and assisting him.

But most of all, Houser was known for his love for Jesus and the bright smile he constantly displayed.

Houser “never shrank back,” even when he started getting sick, Smith said. “He wanted to continue to give.”

In other activity, the campers spent the weeks before and after the rally working at Webster Conference Center. Upcoming work projects include:

• May 18-23 at Weir Baptist Camp, Weir, Kan.


• First Baptist Church, Cottonwood Falls, Kan., in June with the exact dates to be announced.


• Alpha Christian Children’s Home, Perry, Kan., in August.

The National Campers on Mission Rally will be held June 18-20 at Kay Rodgers Park Expo Center, Fort Smith, Ark. Find more information