Marcella Mae (Menke) Hauser, 88, of Grand Island, Nebraska, passed away April 3 to be with her Lord and Savior.

The funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 9, at 2:00 PM at the Columbus Berean Church with Pastor Jim Reynolds officiating. Visitation will be on Saturday, from 1:00 PM until service time, at the church. Interment will be in the Shell Creek Baptist Cemetery, rural Columbus. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Berean Church in either Columbus or Grand Island.

Marcella was born June 20, 1933 in Columbus, NE to William John and Ida Mae (Schwanke) Menke. Being the oldest daughter, she spent her youth working on the farm with her three sisters and two brothers and graduated from Columbus High School. Marcella became a teacher and worked her way through college. She started her teaching career at District #4 and District 2. The next 43 years of teaching took place between Fremont, David City, and finally Columbus as she retired at the age of 61. Marcella loved teaching and working with kids and she would brag about "her other kids" all the time.

Marcella and Raymond M. Hauser were married on August 14, 1963 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. They spent the next 52 years together before Ray passed away in 2015.

Marcella also loved quilting. She often would say that a quilt would tell a story and represent so many beautiful things. Combined, Marcella had made over one hundred quilts in her lifetime.

Survivors include her two sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren, Keith, Jen, Hadley, Tessa and Roman Hauser of Norton, Kansas; and John, Libby and Lauren Hauser of Grand Island; brother George Menke of Columbus; Sisters Ruthie Durkop, Luella (Ray) Luchsinger, and Vernice Voigt of Columbus, and step-children Margaret Pierson, Karen Berry, Mary Jennings, step-grandchildren, and step-great grandchildren.

Marcella was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Hauser, parents, William and Ida Menke, brother, Dwayne Menke, sisters-in-law Gen Menke, Judy Menke, Catherine Wibbels; brothers-in-law, Edwin Voigt, Dale Durkop; step-son, Richard Hauser.