Martha Houston 83 of McClusky died Monday July 9, 2012 at the Turtle Lake Community Memorial Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, July 12 at Grace Lutheran Church, McClusky. Graveside Services will be held at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Christ Lutheran Cemetery, Neche, ND. Visitation will be today (Wednesday) from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Hertz Funeral Home, McClusky.

Martha was born June 18, 1929 at Hamilton, ND. She was the daughter of Julius and Julia (Drager) Henschel. She was baptized at St. Thomas, ND and was later confirmed at Christ Lutheran Church in Neche in 1945. She attended rural school near Hamilton. Martha married Russell E. Houston on October 29, 1947 at Christ Lutheran Church in Neche. They lived in Bathgate. Martha worked at the Bathgate Public School as an assistant cook for several years. They moved their family to McClusky in November 1962. She was primarily a homemaker but for several years she did housekeeping at the Moore Hotel, janitorial work at the ASCS office and babysat for friends. Russell passed away on June 28, 2003.

Martha's faith in God was deep and she studied her Bible and participated in Bible study groups

Martha's hobbies included gardening; quilting both at home and at the church; baking; growing flowers and fishing. She dearly loved and enjoyed her grandchildren. She also enjoyed having pets around the house especially Nikko, Blacky and Betsy.

Martha was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church and the Mary Rebecca Women's Circle.

Martha is survived by her two daughters, Linda (Mark) Swendsen of Pierre, SD, Adeline Houston of Bismarck; son, Wayne Houston of McClusky; two grandchildren, Erik Swendsen and friend Angie, Dawn and Jerad Seurer all of St. Louis, MO, six great-grandchildren; brothers, Ed (Hattie) Henschel of Grafton, Karl (Delores) Henschel of Bathgate; sisters, Ruth Tully of Drayton, Lydia Meagher of Grand Forks; sisters-in-law, Darlene Henschel of Bathgate and Doris Moose of Bismarck; numerous nieces and nephews.

Martha was preceded in death by her parents; husband; sister Annie Schimoneck and her husbands, Emil Stienke and Emil Schimoneck; brothers Gus, Fred and his wife Evelyn, William, and Reinhold and his wife, Donna.; brothers-in-law, Phillip Meagher and Stewart Tully.