Martha Rose DeBusk was born in Morrill, Brown County, Kansas, the second child of Emily Rosalia Flanders and Carl DeBusk, on July 6, 1930. She passed away at her home in Ponca City, Oklahoma on January 10, 2010 Her family moved to Cumberland, Wyoming in 1931 because of the depression, looking for work, but moved back to Netawaka, Kansas in 1932. In 1933 the family moved to Holton, Kansas.
She started to school at Colorado Elementary in Holton. In the third grade they moved to the Brick Community. From there they moved to the Banner School District where she attended 5th, 6th, and 7th grade.
The war was on and her father joined the Navy so the family moved to Holton and Martha attended the 8th grade in Holton. She worked part time at the local telephone office and graduated from Holton High School in 1948.
She started nurse's training in Kansas City but soon decided she did not like that profession and returned to Holton in October.
In November she renewed her friendship with Dean Horner and on September 4, 1949 they were married. Three days later they moved to Manhattan, Kansas and Dean enrolled in Civil Engineering at Kansas State University. She started working to help her husband through school and in 1950 started working at the Riley County Sheriff's Office.
In 1956 she received her PHT degree "Pushing Hubby Through" and he graduated and they moved to Ponca City, Oklahoma where he started working for Continental Oil Company's Central Engineering Department.
In January 1959 their home was blessed with Brian, a baby boy. In September of 1960, Brian would have the privilege of sharing his home with Kathy, his new sister. Martha provided a wonderful, happy home life for the family.
Martha would become the wonderful, caring, teaching mother, attending school function, being Home Room Mother, Club Scout Den Mother, Camp Fire Leader and working with and becoming the Director of Mother's Day Out at First Methodist Church. She was mother for all the kids in the neighborhood and I'm sure they grew up better citizens because of her guidance.
Her own children grew up knowing their mother was only a phone call away to help with any problems they might have. That love and attention enabled them to grow up to be loving, caring, and knowledgeable adults.
She had the privilege of giving her love and passing on knowledge to two wonderful grand daughters who knew Grandma always had time to stop and listen to important things they wanted to tell her.
Grandma and Papa had the privilege of taking them on many wonderful vacation places of wonder and beautiful scenery throughout this country, plus staying at motels and swimming pools and eating out. What a grand time.
She was always willing to give of herself to family, friends and neighbors and this will be a better place because she passed this way.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Clarence "Babe" and Carl Jr. "Pop" DeBusk.
She is survived by her husband, Dean, of the home, son Brian and wife Kathy of Edmond, Oklahoma, daughter Kathy Burton and husband Tim of Belton, Missouri, granddaughters Kelsey Horner of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Emily Horner of Edmond, also a brother Sam and wife Maudie of Kincaid, Kansas along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Memorial services will be held at First Methodist Church, Ponca City, Wednesday January 13th at 10:00 a.m. Visitation and viewing will be at Trout Funeral Home, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Tuesday, January 12th.
Local services will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 14, 2010 at the Mercer Funeral home in Holton, KS. Interment will follow in the Holton Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday evening at Mercer's.
The family request that in lieu of flowers donations made be made to: Hospice of North Central Oklahoma, 1904 N. Union Ste 103, Ponca City, OK 74601 Alzheimer's Research Association, 6465 S. Yale St., Ste 206, Tulsa, OK 74136, American Lung Association, 1010 E. 8th St., Tulsa, OK 74120