Dean "Bud" Lee House

Longtime area grocer Dean Lee (Bud) House passed away Sunday, Oct 3, 2021 at Presbyterian Manor in Emporia. Bud was the son of Ellsworth and Caroline Belle (Winters) House. He was born in Emporia July 22, 1929.

Bud was the brother of Bob, Bill and Donna (House) Davies. He attended local grade schools and graduated from Emporia Senior High School in 1947. While in High School Bud discovered a lifelong interest in woodworking.  During his High School years, he was a member of the High School Stage Craft Club and was known as “Pop Lodle’s right hand man”. George ‘Pop’ Lodle taught Industrial Arts.

As a boy, Bud was a delivery boy for the Emporia Gazette and The Daily Reminder and the errand boy for the Hutton Sewing Machine Company. Bud’s grocery and butchering career began in 1946 at the Emporia Co-op Association Store, 720 Commercial Street. He began as a stock boy and butcher's assistant and eventually became general manager. During this time Bud attended The Food Store Manager’s School and Butchering School in Kansas City.

While at the Co-op he was introduced to his future wife, Mary Ellen Bolz, by her mother Alice Bolz, the Co-op cashier. Bud and Mary were married on July 25, 1948 at the Catholic Rectory in Emporia. They purchased their first home on South Union Street and began their family

Bud and Mary were the parents of Rod, Larry, David, and twins Janice and Genise. Bud and Mary purchased their first grocery store in 1955, The Reading Food Center and Locker Plant in Reading, Kansas. While in Reading, Bud served as a member of the Volunteer Fire Department, served on the City Council, and a Charter Member of the Reading Lions Club. He was especially proud of improving Reading’s public water, natural gas and sewage systems during his tenure on the City Council. Bud and Mary sold their store in Reading and moved to Emporia in 1964. Before purchasing their second grocery store and meat market, Bud was a salesman for the Emporia Wholesale Coffee Company. In 1973 Bud and Mary purchased and operated Cannon’s Grocery and Meat Market on South Commercial Street. Upon retiring to their home in Northwest Emporia, Bud pursued his woodworking interests, fishing and hunting.

Bud is preceded in death by his parents, his wife Mary of 72 years, sons Lawrence Wayne, David Lee, his brother Bob and Bill, his paternal grandparents Lazarus and Melinda Jane (Love) House, maternal grandparents Ferdinand and Emma (Sowers) Winters and all of his aunts and uncles.

He is survived by his son Rod (Jan), daughters Janice (Steve) Marshall, Genise (John) Robinson and sister, Donna (House) Davies. He was known as Pop or Poppy to his grandchildren - Will House, Heather Brooks, Shannon (Quentin) Sheley, Janelle (Scott) Campbell, Jill (Curtis) Burgoon, Zach Robinson and nine great grandchildren.

Cremation has taken place and a memorial service celebrating his life will be held later.

Bud’s family requests memorial contributions be gifted to the Humane Society of the Flint Hills and send in care of Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, PO Box 175, Emporia, Kansas 66801.  His family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to the outstanding professional health care providers at Newman Regional Health and Presbyterian Manor.