M. J. House, 60, Dies Suddenly At His Home
Veteran of Both World Wars; Was Former Police Officer Here
Mathias J. House, 60, died suddenly this noon at his home, 919 Division street. Death was attributed to a heart attack.
Funeral services are pending with Foster’s funeral home in charge.
Mr. House is survived by his wife, one son and one daughter: Max W. House of New York City and Mrs. Richard V. Hartman, (Doris Ruth), Seaside, Calif.; one granddaughter, Kathleen Joyce Hartman; his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth House, and one brother, Frank A. House, both of Webster City.
An obituary will be published later.
Mr. House, known familiarly as “Matt” to many longtime acquaintances in Webster City, was a veteran of both World Wars I and II. He served with a machine gun battalion at Deming, N.M., and later overseas in the first conflict and was one of the top officers of Company E, Iowa National Guard unit, when it left for service in February, 1941, at Camp Claiborne, La.
Mr. House was a member of the Webster City police force for several years prior to the outbreak of World War II.
He was very active in the Masonic orders and was a member of the First Baptist church in which activities he also took a leading part.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - May 9, 1951
House Services Here Tuesday
Mathias J. House
Funeral services for Mathias J. House, 60-year old veteran of World Wars I and II and former assistant police chief of Webster City, will be held at 2:30 Tuesday afternoon at the Foster funeral home.
The Rev. Jonathan Nielsen will officiate with burial being in Graceland cemetery. Military and Masonic services will be held at the grave.
Services for Mr. House, who died suddenly at his home last Wednesday, were delayed until this week until his son, Max, had flown back to the states from Germany. He arrived last evening.
Born in W.C.—
Mathias Jerry House, son of Jerry Alonzo and Elizabeth House, was born Feb. 12, 1891, at Webster City. After his schooling here, he was employed by Bossert and Crandall grocery.
In July 1917, he entered the service and was sent to Deming, N. M., for training. In the fall of 1917, he went overseas. In June, 1919, he received his discharge, returning to Webster City where he was again employed with the Bossert and Crandall company.
June 30, 1920, he was united in marriage to Miss Bessie E. Beem and the family had always lived in Webster City.
Following a year’s employment by Bossert and Crandall, he went to work at the Crandall grocery, working there until April, 1935. At that time he was named assistant chief of police, serving in that capacity until 1941.
He helped organize Company E of the Iowa National Guard in 1921 and was commissioned a second lieutenant, later being promoted to first lieutenant. In February, 1941, he was sent to Camp Claiborne, La., and was there just three days before being transferred to officers’ school at Ft. Benning, Ga., which he attended for three months. He was returned to Camp Claiborne for a short time, later being transferred to Jefferson Barracks, Mo. He later went to Miami Beach, Fla., with the ground air corps where he was an instructor in marksmanship for three years.
At Sioux Falls—
In June, 1944, he was transferred to Sioux Falls, S. D., where he suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized for 11 weeks. He was later hospitalized at Scotts Field, Ill., for five weeks. August 3, 1945, he was retired from active duty and returned to his home here.
He is survived by his wife, one son and one daughter, Max W. House of New York City and Mrs. Richard V. (Doris Ruth) Hartman of Monterey, Calif. One granddaughter, Kathleen Joyce Hartman; his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth House and one brother, Frank A. House, both of Webster City, also survive.
He was baptized Jan. 19, 1910 in the Baptist faith and became a member of the church here. He had always been active in church work. He was treasurer of the Masonic Blue lodge here at the time of his death and a member of the Sojourners of Des Moines. He was a charter member of the American Legion.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - May 14, 1951 (photo included with the obituary)
Mathias Jerry House was born Feb. 12, 1891 to Jerry Alonzo and Elizabeth Wentzel House. He died May 9, 1951 and is buried in Graceland Cemetery, Webster City, IA.
Capt. House served with the 211th Air Force Base Unit and helped organize Co. E, 133rd Infantry, 34th Division of the Iowa National Guard in Webster City.
Source: ancestry.com
