Maurice L. House 1884-1958

HOUSE, JENSEN, BELL

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 1/30/2014 at 22:58:59

Maurice L. House Found Dead in Motel
Maurice L. House, 73, of Estherville, was found dead in a motel Wednesday at Ogallala, Neb., almost 24 hours after he had checked into the motel telling the manager he had had a slight accident east of the city, according to an Associated Press dispatch.

Mrs. House and two sons received word of the death last night. Mrs. House said her husband had left here for Bennett, Colo. shortly after noon Monday to take over as a star route mail carrier at Bennett. He drove a star route there from 1939 to 1955 and then was a star route carrier here from July, 1955 until recently when he resigned his post here to take over his former router in [Bennett.]

Jim Caudy, manager of the motel, said House told him his car had gone off the edge of the road. When he noticed the car still parked at the motel the next afternoon Caudy investigated and found House dead. The cause of death was first presumed to have been a coronary occlusion (blood clot) but when the physician heard about House’s report of the accident, he decided on further examination. Keith County Attorney Firmin Q. Feltz said he would not call for an autopsy unless the family wished it.

House had a bruise on his forehead and an abrasion under his chin, but it was reported the abrasion might have been several days old. Officers said the car showed evidence of having something with the left front wheel, but the safety patrol could not find evidence anywhere along U.S. 30 where a car had gone off the road.

House was reportedly en route to Bennett, Colo. Survivors include his widow and two sons in Estherville. He was a star route mail carrier.

Mr. House is survived by his widow, sons Paul and Meredith at home; two brothers, Roy of Denver and Carl of Mina, Nev., a sister, Dorothy House of Salida, Colo., and a niece, Mrs. Alan Bell of LaPorte City.

He was born Oct. 31, 1884 near Parish, N.Y. and received his education in New York state. He was married to Eleanoro [Eleanora] Jensen, of Weston, June 14, 1926 at Little Brown Church at Nashua.

Mr. House moved with his parents from New York state to Virginia, Neb. and then to Colorado. He was a railroad telegrapher in Iowa and several western states. He was baptized at the Pillar of Fire Church at Denver.

Preceding him in death were his parents, two sisters, one brother and a daughter, Maureen, who died in infancy.

Funeral arrangements have not been completed as yet. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, January 2, 1958)

Last Rites for Maurice L. House, 73, will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Estherville Lutheran church, the Rev. Theodore Maakestad officiating. Mr. House was found dead New Year’s Day in a motel room in Ogalalla, Neb. A star route mail carrier, he was enroute to a new job in Bennett, Colo. Friends may call at Sternborg Funeral Home from Sunday evening until time of services. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, January 4, 1958)