One of Niagara County's leading corporate citizens has passed away on Easter Sunday at the age of 93.

Jack was born April 19, 1923 in Toronto, Ontario.  He was the son of Charles Roy House and Jeanne Hamilton Barthe.  At the age of four, his parents and baby sister Jean were killed in an explosion in their Rosedale, Ontario home.  The remaining children were left orphans to be raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario in the care of their grandparents, Laura and Henry House.  Jack never returned to Toronto to live.

Jack is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 73 years, Earldeene Beatrice (Hanna) House.

Jack graduated from Niagara Falls Collegiate Vocational Institute in Niagara Falls, Ontario and attended McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.  He served as a Royal Canadian Air Force Coastal Command pilot during World War Two.  He and the family immigrated to the United States in 1958 and he became an American citizen in 1968.

Jack was associated in both a management and ownership capacity with a number of area firms.  He started as a clerk with the Elderfield-Hartshorn Co. in 1946.  In 1955, he organized the industrial division of Hysen Suppliers and in 1963, with two partners, purchased the Case-Elderfield Co., successor to the Elderfield-Hartshorn Co. He was elected president.

In November 1972, he purchased Hysen Supplies, Inc., the principal supplier of pipe, valves, fittings, plumbing, heating, electrical, construction mill supplies, and power transmissions to industry trades serving the entire Niagara Frontier, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.  The company employed over 125 people at its peak.

Jack was an active member of the community and served on numerous boards, committees, and clubs, including the Mount St. Mary's Hospital Board of Directors, the Advisory Board of Niagara University, Niagara Falls Country Club, Niagara Club, and Chairman of the United Way.  He was honored by regional leadership at the Chamber of Commerce Small Business Award Dinner in 1983, one of his proudest achievements.  He truly was a self-made man.

Jack enjoyed his family, the family vacations on Lake Erie and Ontario North country, boating on the Niagara River, Lakes Erie and Ontario.  He will be remembered for his sense of humor, integrity, strength, hard work, courage, determination and strong will.  There wasn't a sport he didn't love. There was always a family gathering around his work projects at Foxpoint in Youngstown, New York and his beloved Picton on the Bay of Quinte.

Jack and Earldeene retired in 1995 to Sarasota, Florida where they have resided for twenty-two years.  They are devout members of St. Thomas More Parish, where Jack was a Eucharistic minister, a member of the Men's Club and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Besides his wife Earldeene, Jack is survived by his son, J. Michael (Marie) House and four daughters:  Maribeth (Joseph) Scullion, Melanie (James) Cutini, Karen (late Thomas) Hogan, and Christina (Richard) Elia; 14 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his daughter Kelly Jean House.  He was the brother of the late Victor (Daphne) House, sister Adrienne (Ken) Clark, Joan (Ted) Rose, and his sister Jean House.  He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.

There will be no prior visitation.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, April 20 ^th , 2017 at 10AM at St. Peter's Church, 620 Center Street, Lewiston, New York.  Internment in Fairview Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario at the convenience of the family.  Memorial donations may be made in Jack's name to Niagara Hospice, 4675 Sunset Drive, Lockport, NY 14094, Phone: (716) 439-4417.  Arrangements by M.J. COLUCCI & SON NIAGARA FUNERAL CHAPEL, 2730 Military Road, Niagara Falls, NY.