Obituary for Thomas James House (Tom)
Thomas “Tom” James House, 68, passed away surrounded by loved ones on Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 2:35 PM. Tom was born March 1, 1953 to James P. House and Margaret J. House (Adams) in Holly, Michigan, or as he once said to his teacher “inside a hollowed-out log.”
As a young man Tom spent his days hunting the woods and fields and fishing the lakes and rivers that surround his family home in Holly. This passion carried through Tom’s life and he shared his love for the outdoors with his family and friends. Tom loved the pursuit of Michigan Whitetail and the fight of a good Walleye or Smallmouth.
After graduating from Holly High Tom moved on to Michigan State University where he pursued two undergraduate degrees in Landscape Architecture and Natural Resource Management, continuing his passion for the outdoors and natural world. Tom’s love of sport lead him to the Michigan State Men’s Rugby Club, spending days on the pitch and tangled in the scrum. He was also a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity where he built lifelong friendships and pursued the finer side of MSU social life.
With his newly acquired knowledge and skill set Tom went to work for Terrafirma, a local landscape architecture firm in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Tom sharpened his skills and when the time was right, he followed the entrepreneurial spirit and started his own landscape architecture and irrigation firm, Aqua Engineering, with his business partner and lifelong friend, Bob McKinley. Tom was a dedicated and hardworking professional, putting in all he had to ensure the success of his new business.
It was during this same time that Tom met and married the love of his life, Lori S. Jacobs (House). Tom and Lori were married on December 26, 1980 at Orchard Lake Country Club. They started their life together in small apartment on Ford Lake before moving into their family home in Willis, Michigan surround by the woods, fields and creeks Tom loved so much. Tom and Lori’s son, Scott T. House, was born in July of 1982 and their daughter, Leslie N. House (Bordine), followed in November of 1989.
With the success, health, and wellbeing of his family always at the front of his mind Tom sold his share of the successful Aqua Engineering and took his skills to MilGuard and eventually to CASE Foundation. Tom proved to be an incredibly effective superintendent and project manager, managing deep foundation and environmental clean-up projects across the United States and into Europe. Tom was part of the “Big Dig” in Boston, Massachusetts and numerous major infrastructure projects in Texas, Arizona, California, Wisconsin, Minnesota and more. He was well respected by his peers and recognized as one of the hardest working and most dedicated professionals in his field. His unmatched work ethic and attention to detail allowed his family to live comfortably, and his children to pursue degrees at his alma matter, Michigan State University (Scott) and Grand Valley State University (Leslie).
Tom will be remembered for his love and passion for the outdoors which he shared with his family and friends, his infectious laugh and glowing smile, his dedication to and deep love for his family, his witty sense of humor and great one liners, and the life he created for himself and all those around him.
Tom is survived by his wife, Lori S. House; his son and his wife, Scott and Lane House and their two boys, Callum and Brewer House; his daughter and her husband, Leslie and Ryan Bordine and their daughter, Rylie Bordine; his sister, Helen MacNamara and her family; his mother, Margaret J. House (Adams); and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
It was Tom’s wishes that no formal services or funeral be hosted. A celebration of Tom’s life will be scheduled for the summer of 2021 with details to come and available from family members. In lieu of flowers please donate in Tom’s name to The Nature Conservancy in Michigan.
Online Donations:
Link: https://support.nature.org/site/Donation2?15000.donation=form1&df_id=15000&resultid=7TV
Person to be Remembered: Tom House, Willis, MI
Person to be Notified: Scott House, 188 E 300 S, Heber City, UT 84032
Mail Donations:
The Nature Conservancy in Michigan
101 East Cesar E. Chavez Ave
Lansing, MI 48906
As a young man Tom spent his days hunting the woods and fields and fishing the lakes and rivers that surround his family home in Holly. This passion carried through Tom’s life and he shared his love for the outdoors with his family and friends. Tom loved the pursuit of Michigan Whitetail and the fight of a good Walleye or Smallmouth.
After graduating from Holly High Tom moved on to Michigan State University where he pursued two undergraduate degrees in Landscape Architecture and Natural Resource Management, continuing his passion for the outdoors and natural world. Tom’s love of sport lead him to the Michigan State Men’s Rugby Club, spending days on the pitch and tangled in the scrum. He was also a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity where he built lifelong friendships and pursued the finer side of MSU social life.
With his newly acquired knowledge and skill set Tom went to work for Terrafirma, a local landscape architecture firm in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Tom sharpened his skills and when the time was right, he followed the entrepreneurial spirit and started his own landscape architecture and irrigation firm, Aqua Engineering, with his business partner and lifelong friend, Bob McKinley. Tom was a dedicated and hardworking professional, putting in all he had to ensure the success of his new business.
It was during this same time that Tom met and married the love of his life, Lori S. Jacobs (House). Tom and Lori were married on December 26, 1980 at Orchard Lake Country Club. They started their life together in small apartment on Ford Lake before moving into their family home in Willis, Michigan surround by the woods, fields and creeks Tom loved so much. Tom and Lori’s son, Scott T. House, was born in July of 1982 and their daughter, Leslie N. House (Bordine), followed in November of 1989.
With the success, health, and wellbeing of his family always at the front of his mind Tom sold his share of the successful Aqua Engineering and took his skills to MilGuard and eventually to CASE Foundation. Tom proved to be an incredibly effective superintendent and project manager, managing deep foundation and environmental clean-up projects across the United States and into Europe. Tom was part of the “Big Dig” in Boston, Massachusetts and numerous major infrastructure projects in Texas, Arizona, California, Wisconsin, Minnesota and more. He was well respected by his peers and recognized as one of the hardest working and most dedicated professionals in his field. His unmatched work ethic and attention to detail allowed his family to live comfortably, and his children to pursue degrees at his alma matter, Michigan State University (Scott) and Grand Valley State University (Leslie).
Tom will be remembered for his love and passion for the outdoors which he shared with his family and friends, his infectious laugh and glowing smile, his dedication to and deep love for his family, his witty sense of humor and great one liners, and the life he created for himself and all those around him.
Tom is survived by his wife, Lori S. House; his son and his wife, Scott and Lane House and their two boys, Callum and Brewer House; his daughter and her husband, Leslie and Ryan Bordine and their daughter, Rylie Bordine; his sister, Helen MacNamara and her family; his mother, Margaret J. House (Adams); and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
It was Tom’s wishes that no formal services or funeral be hosted. A celebration of Tom’s life will be scheduled for the summer of 2021 with details to come and available from family members. In lieu of flowers please donate in Tom’s name to The Nature Conservancy in Michigan.
Online Donations:
Link: https://support.nature.org/site/Donation2?15000.donation=form1&df_id=15000&resultid=7TV
Person to be Remembered: Tom House, Willis, MI
Person to be Notified: Scott House, 188 E 300 S, Heber City, UT 84032
Mail Donations:
The Nature Conservancy in Michigan
101 East Cesar E. Chavez Ave
Lansing, MI 48906