We have all lost an energy source. Our condolences to Casey and the family on this sudden change. John’s smile and enthusiasm added life to every occasion. I met John through one of his favourite activities, Barbershop. He was always keen for a song, and he would adapt for whatever part was missing. Always encouraging and supporting others in their endeavours in this great hobby. He also directed us to recruit his son Rick as a baritone for our Northern Reflections quartet. 20 years later we are still having fun and enjoying that decision. A well trained recruit from both a personal and barbershop perspective. Family was clearly a big part of John’s life. We will miss his enthusiasm for life and the opportunity to sing a spontaneous tune in the corner of the room. Glad to have known him, and his key supporter and partner, Casey. Hope the many happy memories will help bridge some of this big change.

The newish but Society registered quartet Fallen Arches (RMC grads MacDougall Class of '61, Conrad '53, Perrin '57 and Spence '65) somehow got signed up for a number of gigs in the ca. 1990 season, including a TV kids' show (still in repeats until not long ago) and a singout in or near Merrickville. Sam Perrin suddenly fell victim to a dicky ticker and in order to meet our commitments we were desperately looking for a tenor. John Houseman happily volunteered, and we had a lot of fun fulfilling our gigs with him. But the jig was up when we did the TV show...the sound guy hadn't a clue about barbershop 4-part/blended harmony and simply focused his mics and recordings on the highest voice part. In every subsequent on-air broadcast, there was John, weakly warbling away in a sort-of al fresco woodshed tenor which nobody would have noticed absent the ill-informed TV studio sound wallah.

My sincere heartfelt sympathies to you and your family Rick, on the passing of your father.

Dear Rick, Louise and family Our sincerest condolences on the loss of John. I have many fond memories of the weekends spent with Rick on the farm in Alexandria when we were cadets at RMC. I remember John as being always jovial and having a great love for life. He was truly a man of action - I recall us working in the field when the tractor tire got punctured. Rather than waste time inspecting the damage, he was off down the road to the repair shop before the tire could fully deflate! In later years I was always amazed at his energy and the number of things in which he was involved. His teaching years were just a ramp up for his retirement. He was truly and amazing person who will be very much missed. Our thought are with you Ross and Liz

Dear Aunt Casey and Family, We are very sorry for your loss. You could not have chosen a better picture of Uncle John to accompany his obituary. This is how we will always remember him. Beaming and so full of life. Sincerly Robin, Nancy and John.

I'm so sorry to hear about Uncle John. Last time I saw him was for lunch near my house in Milton with Aunt Casey and my Grandparents Bruce and Louise Slemin. He couldn't concentrate on anything except my 1 year old daughter Hannah. He just kept smiling and laughing at everything she did. I can just imagine how great of a Dad and Grandfather he must have been. When someone talks about Uncle John, all I picture is a big smile on his face. I picture him singing too, he sure could harmonize. He will definetely be missed. Lots of love from Joanne, Tony, Hannah & Taylor

As Mom and I sat at Dad's bedside after he had the stroke so many things rushed and swirled in my head. Among them were amazing memories of being a kid and having the person, who was now so helpless before me, as my father.

One of my earliest memories of a series of cottages that we all enjoyed was on Big Stave Island in the Thousand islands; the drive from Montréal, passing the Soulange canal, and boarding the boat for the trip to the island from the landing near Gananoque. One particular memory stands out. Dad by the water below Dick's cottage washing his Boxer Bang with tomato juice after Bang's misadventures with a skunk and then the residual smell of tomato and skunk as we travelled back home to Beaurepaire.

I'm not sure what car Dad was driving at the time but suspect if it was the Blue (Plymouth I believe) Station wagon with the tail fins. That car would be a part our lives soon after Big Stave; it certainly is there in the photos of us in the early days of our second cottage on Lac Supérieur near the North side of Tremblant. In what I always considered unusual or maybe just quintessential Dad, the lane to the cottage was built after Mom, Dad and the boys had carried in everything to build the A-frame by the lake. In addition to great summers on the bay, the weekend trips skiing stand out the most. Bundled up in the station wagon, and later the VW minitruck we headed out after Dad got back from teaching. In a day where regulations and safety were not as rigorous as today I particularly remember that, as the lights when out for the night, the walls of the acorn heater glowing a molten red and Rick in the loft - the warmest place in the cottage. Up in the morning and off to the North Side, lunch with pea soup in the New Bear's Den, or the old log Den that still stood at the time. Because of frost bit on a winter scouting trip, my toes were sensitive to cold and Dad drove me back to the A-frame to ski cross-country with Mom in the afternoon.

As I sat there with Dad in the hospital I was reminded of how much skiing was such a part of our lives: Downhill at Tremblant, cross country at Viking Ski Club and the Ski marathon. Dad and I built my first cross-country skis. At a time when cross country was unheard of, Dad and I unscrewed all the steel edges from his wooden downhill jumping skis, cut them down to width with the band saw, and sanded them to a final finish before attaching the cable ski harness. Of all our cross country skiing together, the mass start of the first centennial ski marathon that started in the vacant field behind the new Fairview shopping centre in Point Claire stands out the most. The race finished in Ottawa with a mass ski by all participants from Dows Lake up the frozen unused Rideau Canal (long before Winterlude). Climbing ladders from the bottom of the canal for a banquet dinner, a baked bean supper if I remember correctly, in the abandoned railway station in downtown Ottawa . There we were awarded the bronze medal in the family team category. For the last 24 years, my office at the University looked out on that canal and I remember that dark evening ski with Dad and the family every time I looked out the window.

That old station wagon, with its distinct Sweet Caporal patina inside, served us well. We rode it until the front seat was supported on the car frame by two-by-fours and we lost or dinky toys through the holes in the floor boards. On one trip North the ski rack blew off and there was Dad in the middle of the Autoroute recovering the skis, which were unscathed by the misadventure and used the next day. On one occasion, when Mom drove Steve, Rick and I to the Beaconsfield pool while she wasn't looking all the buttons out of the push button automatic transmission were pulled out by one of us. The station wagon was replaced by Austin mini minors, one a sedan the other station wagon, and ultimately the VW mini truck with a bench in the back for the three boys and a very flatulent basset named Schpottie.

Swimming at the pool was another part of our lives as kids. Dad missed some of the swim races when he went to school for part of the summers for his teaching certificate and I was so happy when he was back to cheer us on. Dad built the first set of wooden swim blocks for the Beaurepaire swim club and I remember the special pride I felt when I launched from them to race my race.

Wood was a part of our lives with Dad. Whether it was, as he did later in life, hauling it as logs to be cut and dried, or the work of he did in his shop - wood always surrounded us in some way. The addition of the two car garage in Beaurepaire was carefully designed with a sentinel ring of saws and planners surrounding the cars inside. My first memory of working in the shop with Dad was being at the delivery end of the thickness planner. In the days where there was no concern for dust control, I stood happily in a shower of shavings and saw dust to take each board and place it in the dolly beside me, then roll it back to dad for the next pass through the planner. My first project in the shop was to make my paddle for the weeks spent each summer at Camp Kanawana. From a solid block of basswood Dad guided me as I cut, shaped, shaved, and sanded the paddle. I painted my initials and attached the Kanawana decal and added layer after layer of varnish until that paddle shone.

I had left, and headed to University by the time Mom and Dad moved to the farms and later Vankleek Hill where Dad built his last shop on Main Street and then moved it and Mom to the house on Union. I visited the cottage on Rouge when they first bought and almost every adult memory of my Dad is of him and the family there. It's at the Rouge that I met the last two dogs Toby and Becky; who has spent the last week looking for Dad. I now spend every weekend at the cottage on the Rouge and I'll miss Dad's lunch time visit with Mom on Saturday and I'll be looking for and remembering him all the amazing memories he has left me growing up with him as my Dad there. Thanks Dad.

My condolences to the Houseman family. I have a few vivid memories of John from my days teaching with him at GDHS. I remember that china tea cup of his into which he poured water from a hot water tap in his office each day at lunchtime. I remember that impish grin of his when he sang barber shop with Phil Lloyd, Pierre Vaillancourt, and John Stainer at the Christmas concerts.I think there was a large red bow tie involved there as well. Lastly I remember him running an after school "waxing workshop" complete with blow torch and tar, for teachers newly interested in cross country skiing, as the sport came into popularity. A very talented man he was, and a life well-lived.

Nancy and I were saddened to learn of the passing of John who had shared his passion for Barbershop Harmony with my quartet, on the risers and beyond. Our thoughts and prayers are with “Casey”, the Houseman family, John’s former risermates and friends as we say goodbye to our friend and partner in song. We extend our sympathy to the Houseman family with our wishes for peace and comfort in the days ahead, remembering that: “What moves through us is a silence, a quiet sadness, a longing for one more day, one more word, one more touch, we may not understand why John left this earth so soon, or why John left before we were ready to say good-bye, but little by little, we begin to remember not just that John died, but that John lived. And that his life gave us memories too beautiful to forget – he was a Barbershopper”. May God grant his soul eternal rest.

It is with great sadness that I heard of John's death. We had great fun together driving back and forth from barbershop while I was in Vankleek Hill. I will also remember the Christmas Dinners that you invited me to. There was always a welcome smile and wonderful conversation. You are all in my prayers. Blessings Doug Richards

Ted and Micheline made a donation to Hawkesbury and District General Hospital Foundation

We are very sorry to hear about your loss. From our family to yours, our most heartfelt sympathies.

Jon and Denis made a donation to Hawkesbury and District General Hospital Foundation

Thanks Dad, in so many, many ways that I have tried to describe in my story. The team at the Hospital took such amazing care of you and comforted us.

Robin, Nancy & John Poston made a donation to Sing Canada Harmony

In support of what he loved so much.

Rick Houseman made a donation to Sing Canada Harmony

Dad left me with many gifts, one of which was introducing me to Barbershop music. We first sang in a quartet together with Ben Tolley (Lead), Dyson Phiney (Bass), myself (baritone) and of course Dad (tenor) in 1987, and finally culminating over 20 years of singing with the competition in Nashville Tenn with the Capital City Chorus in 2009. I know Dad was a big supporter of barbershop harmony and as a former high school teacher, he would have appreciated this donation to Sing Canada. In Harmony love, Rick

Pat Alexander & Family made a donation to Hawkesbury and District General Hospital Foundation

During this difficult time we would like to extend our heartfelt sympathies.