Hiram Edward House, 100, of Pittsfield died Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013, at Liberty Village Nursing Home in Pittsfield.
Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, at Airsman-Hires Funeral Home in Pittsfield. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
Burial will be at Pittsfield West Cemetery.
Mr. House was born in Irving on Nov. 7, 1913, the son of William and Celia (Hilt) House. He married Melvina Mayer of Witt in 1946, and she preceded him in death on March 1, 2008. They had no children.
He completed Witt High School and graduated from Eastern Illinois University and Brown's Business College. He then taught at Sunnyside rural school for four years before being employed by the Carlinville Production Credit Association and later the Mississippi Valley Production Credit Association, which served Pike, Adams, Brown and Calhoun counties. He eventually became president of the association and retired in 1978 after 40 years of service in farm credit.
Mr. House served over three years in the U.S. Army during World War II, all in the Southwest Pacific. He attained the rank of master sergeant. After arriving in Brisbane, Australia, he was assigned to the Army's General Headquarters there, where he served on the personal staff of General Douglas MacArthur, commander-in-chief of the Southwest Pacific Theater.
As the war progressed, he moved with General Headquarters to New Guinea and to Tycloban, Leyte, Philippines, where General MacArthur made his famous "I have returned" entry into the Philippines. The next move was to Yokohama, Japan, where the Japanese signed the surrender terms on the battleship Missouri. From Japan, he returned to Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis for discharge. He earned the Bronze Star, the Distinguished Unit Badge and the Good Conduct Medal.
Mr. House was a member of the Methodist Church, the American Legion, the Farm Bureau and the Pittsfield Rotary Club, of which he was a member for 67 years. In Rotary, he served as club president and earned distinction as a multiple Paul Harris Fellow. Besides the church and Rotary, he was a generous financial supporter of many civic projects in the community.
He is survived by several nieces and nephews.
In addition to his wife, Mr. House was preceded in death by three sisters, Opal Cattinari, Faye Bateman and Maxine Rowley.
Memorials may be made to the Pittsfield United Methodist Church, Illini Community Hospital or Pittsfield Community Center.
Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.airman-hires.com.
