Sergeant Joel Amos House

LEE - Sergeant Joel Amos House, 22, died June 23, 2007 in Taji, Iraq of wounds sustained by an improvised explosive device while serving with the U.S. Army’s 1st Cavalry Division of Fort Hood, Texas. He was born in Lincoln, Maine on November 21, 1984, the son of Paul Clarence House and Deanna Arlene (Lothrop) House.

Joel grew up in Lee attending the district schools of MSAD#30 and Lee Academy. As a youth, he played soccer, basketball, and baseball. He loved the Maine outdoors, spending time at his maternal grandparents’ camp on Silver Lake where he learned to swim, snorkel, fish, and canoe. During high school, he spent summers with his mother in Guadalajara, Mexico participating in exchange programs and receiving students from around the world. Joel, who had accepted Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior as a boy, was also searching for his life mission to his God. A young man of few words, he found a voice to express himself through the guitar and classic rock. He loved playing video games. Following graduation in 2003, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and trained to be a tank driver. This was Joel’s second tour of duty. He was present on January 30, 2005 at the Iraqi Election Day. The photo in this obituary was taken in Iraq on that day. He was wounded on March 9, 2007 in an Al-Queda suicide bomb attack on his outpost in Taji. His military awards include Bronze Star Medal (Posthumously), Purple Heart (Posthumously), Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal (2 awards), Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, and the Weapons Qualification Badge-Expert Rifle. Joel received his promotion to Sergeant on June 25, 2007.

In addition to his parents, Joel is survived brother Luke House, of Seattle, WA and sister, Joy House of Tampa, Florida. His maternal grandparents Eaton "Pete" and Nancy (Pickering) Lothrop of Lee, ME and Zephyrhills, FL and paternal grandmother Annie (Raymond) House of Lee, ME; aunts and uncles Elaine (Lothrop) Carey and Daryl Marston of Lincoln, ME, Kathy (Lothrop) and Joshua Crise of Lee, ME, Joe Raymond, Emma (House) and Tom Lambert of Bangor, ME, Mary (House) Fitzgerald and Ray Wilson of Westbrook, ME, Ruth (House) and Wendell Worster of Lee, ME, Kay (House) and Russell Kenney of Portland, ME, Betty (House) and Billy Leonard of North Carolina, Robert and Polly (McCafferty) House of Lee, ME, Jean (House) and Al Ladotski of Arizona, Linda (House) and John Lord of Hallowell, ME, Arnie and Suzanne House of North Carolina, Charlie and Barb (Baker) House of Boothbay, ME, Christine (House) and Jim Bohenko of Pennsylvania, Carole (House) and Steve Potts of Lee, ME. His cousins on his mother’s side are Alicia (Wade) and Sergeant First Class Jeremy Carey with their son Joseph of Fort Knox, KY, Stephanie (Carey) and Justin Gifford of Farmington and Lee, ME, Amanda (Carey) Tash with her son Maddox of Minot Air Force Base, ND, Amelia Crise and Kevin Crise of Lee, ME. Joel is the first of 109 grand- and great-grandchildren of the Robert (predeceased) and Annie House to die. He will be fondly remembered by those cousins growing up spending the holidays at Grammie and Grampy House’s: Kim (House) Pelletier, Lisa (House) Ham with her son Brandon Ham, Jamie House, Terri (House) Bates, Jason House, Jamie House, Blaine Clemons, Gaye (House) Bergeron, Aaron Paradis, Eric Paradis, Brad Paradis, Will Worster.

Family and friends may call between 3 – 6 pm on Monday, July 2 at the Lee Baptist Church. A full military honors funeral will be held on Tuesday, July 3 at 10 am at the Mallett Gymnasium of Lee Academy. The ceremony will be co-officiated by Pastor Bruce Swan of the Springfield Community Chapel and Reverend Steve Wood of Bay Ceia Baptist Church of Tampa, FL. Interment will follow the ceremony at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Lee. Visitors are invited to the reception in the gymnasium organized by the Ladies’ Auxiliary. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a scholarship trust fund to be set up by the family to help children attend summer camps or participate in exchange student programs. Donations may be left at or sent to the Clay Funeral Home, 7 Lee Road, Lincoln, ME 04457.