Michael Jeremy (Mike) House passed away while vacationing with family and exploring the natural beauty of Northern California on Sunday, September 4, 2022. He was born in Midland, Michigan on October 13, 1982, the son of Thomas and Catherine (Haack) House.
Mike attended school at St. Cecelia Catholic School for two years and then Harrison Community Schools, graduating with the Class of 2001. Mike was a graduate of Michigan State University, as were all of his brothers and sisters. He worked throughout his college years for the Spartan football program and was a lifelong MSU fan, often getting up in the middle of the night to watch a game while he was half way around the planet.
Mike worked as a substitute teacher for several schools in the Harrison area and for Clare-Gladwin RESD in the SPARKS program after college. For the past decade he had been a teacher in Taiwan, working primarily for HESS International Schools. He was known as “Teacher Mike” to his students and colleagues. He possessed a unique and special ability to relate to all children, especially his beloved nieces and nephews and his students. Those who knew him in Taiwan attested to “Teacher Mike’s” ability to elicit joy and wonder in his young students. It was his gift to them and a model for his colleagues.
An adventurous soul, Mike loved to travel and explore the world with friends and family. He was able to experience and share many of the most beautiful spots on planet Earth. He was an environmentalist and loved outdoor activities. He was passionate about protecting and preserving the beautiful world we inhabit. He had a gregarious nature and the ability to relate to people of all ages and cultures. Mike made friends easily and was blessed to have them all over the world. Mike recognized, appreciated and celebrated the best traits in the people he knew. He had a special love for the people and culture of Taiwan, his home for the past decade.
Nobody enjoyed a meal more than Mike. He loved to share food with family and friends and always expressed his appreciation and shared compliments with those who prepared the food. He was willing to try any dish, no matter how exotic and unfamiliar. He hated to see food go to waste whether it was on his plate or yours which belied his thin, athletic build.
Michael House was a bright light for his family and friends. His smile and his love were precious gifts they will cherish forever. He is survived by his parents, Tom and Cathy House of Harrison, Michigan; his siblings: Matt (Jessi) House of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Erin (Robert Blake) House of Bellingham, Washington; Jim (Niyomi) House of Reno, Nevada; and Kelly House of Lansing, Michigan; his nieces and nephews: Jackson House, Jacob House, Avery House, Trent House, Norah House, and Lena House-Blake; as well as many aunts and uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Elton and Irene House; his maternal grandparents, Lewis and Marion Haack; and an uncle, Eugene Haack.
Visitation for Michael will be held at Clark-Stocking Funeral Chapel in Harrison, Michigan on Sunday, September 18, 2022 from 4:00 until 8:00 P.M. The hour from 7:00-8:00 P.M. will be used to share prayers and songs, eulogize Mike, and to hear memories and stories from Mike’s friends and family members who are gathered there.
A Funeral Mass celebrated by Father Fred Kawka will be held at St. Athanasius Catholic Church in Harrison at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, September 19, 2022. A luncheon and a time for fellowship and sharing will follow Mass at the Harrison City Park two blocks south of the church. Burial and a short committal service will be in St. Athanasius Cemetary at 2:30 P.M. for family and those friends who wish to attend.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Michael House’s memory may be made to the Harrison Community Schools Athletic Department, the House Family Endowed Scholarship Fund through the Clare County Community Foundation, and the Little Forks Conservancy (littleforks.org). To share an online memory or condolence with Mike’s family, please visit: www.clarkstocking.com. Arrangements and care of Michael and his family are entrusted with Clark-Stocking Funeral Chapel: www.clarkstocking.com or (989) 539-7810.