HOUSE, James "Butch" F., age 78

Died: Wednesday, November 30th, 2016

Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 5, 2016 at Hope Lutheran Church (corner of Starr Avenue and Eddy Lane) with Reverend Rick Lund officiating

Visitation: Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the funeral home and also one hour prior to service at church

A private interment will take place at a later date

James "Butch" Flynn House, age 78, passed away peacefully with family by his side at his home in Eau Claire on November 30, 2016.

Butch was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to the late Harold and Anga House on May 12, 1938. He graduated from Eau Claire Senior High School and four years later married his sweetheart, Harriet Curtis, on August 27, 1960 in Eau Claire.

With his brother Delton, known as Toby, he co-owned Eau Claire Printing in downtown Eau Claire since 1967. Although it was hard work, he had many fun times with many memories of the print shop. He enjoyed working with multiple family members over the years. Upon having a stroke in 1998, his children, Jim and Sue, took over the running of the print shop.

He loved the outdoors and going up to his trailer to fish and to spend time with family and friends. In his younger years, he and his brothers (and eventually son and nephews) spent many a deer season at the hunting cabin. His grandchildren's favorite thing to do with grandpa was to go up north and spend time fishing out on the lake together.

Butch's stroke led to his constant need of a wheelchair. In spite of having physical limitations, he somehow found the ability to overcome any adversity he had and lived out a full life. He never complained about his difficulties and instead managed to focus on the positives in his life. He loved to have visitors and always made the person he was speaking with feel special and at ease. Over the years, people came to know Butch as being an inspiration and a truly amazing man. He always appreciated having his friends and family come out to visit him. He loved his family he had with Harriet and the evidence is in how incredibly close his family remained to him. He was an extraordinary man.

He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Harriet; daughters, Susan (Brian) Cramer of Eau Claire, Christine (Scott) Lien of Eau Claire, and Jody (Christopher) Chapin of Columbus, OH; son, James Jr. (Holly) House of Eau Claire; grandchildren, Jessica (Eric) Strobel, Elaine (Daniel) Coughlin, Joseph (Kristen) Capozzi, Derek Bell, Curtis Chapin, Laura Chapin, Tyler Cramer, Ella House, Grant House and Hazel House; step-grandchildren, Autumn and Isaac Lien; great-grandchildren, Evelyn Strobel and Eliah Capozzi; brother, Michael (Marge) House; sisters, Viola Rowland, Greta (Jack) Meyers and Velda (Lawrence) Lee; sisters-in-law, Mavis, Betty and Liz House and Judy (Myron) Kranz; brother-in-law, Howard (Jo) Curtis; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Butch was proceeded in death by his parents; brothers, Lamar, Harold Jr. (Patricia), Truman (Kathleen), Roger, Gerald, Aubert (Marie), and Delton; sisters, Ione (Cliff) Kriese, Twila (John) Phalen and Verda House; brothers-in-law, Bud Rowland and Kenneth (Shirley) Curtis; and infant great-grandchild, Everett Strobel.  

The family would like to thank the staff of Oakwood Villa and Mayo Clinic Health System-Eau Claire Home Health and Hospice for their wonderful care of Butch.