TNLA Member Joe House, owner of House Nursery of Brownsboro/Tyler passed away Wednesday night from complications from a stroke he incurred several weeks ago.  He was preceded in death by his wife Marnell in December.

Joe was a pioneer in the horticulture industry some 50 years ago beginning with Wolfe Nursery, then building House Nursery from a small nursery expanding it to the large multi-outlet operation it is today. Growing top notch Azaleas and other high quality plants, Joe became a leader in the horticulture industry.

Joe’s legacy will live on through the beauty of the plants House Nursery grows to the landscapes that are commonplace as a result of people like Joe. 

He will be missed by the many people who he worked with and knew from his life in our industry. Visit www.housenursery.com to see more about Joe’s work.

Please remember his family and friends during this difficult time. There will be a gathering of family and friends Sunday from 2 – 4 pm

Stewart Family Funeral Home
7525 Old Jacksonville Highway
Tyler, TX 75703-0564
(903) 581-2008

A memorial service will be held at Suzie House Hurley’s home on Monday at 1:00 pm in Murchison.

2 ½ miles north of FM 1803 of Hwy 31

House Nursery Red Barn Location

(903) 852- 6811

Joe House will be cremated and his ashes will be dispersed at Port Mansfield at a later date.

If cats are said to have nine lives, how many might you figure an alligator has?  Well, in the case of a particular alligator in Poteet, Texas, the answer appears to be at least two.  Joanne Harden of Mortellaro’s Nursery, Inc. in Schertz shares the following story about an alligator that clearly was not ready to “swim with the fishes.”

“We had a call from Poteet that there was an alligator in our tank.  Joe and James (Harden) went to Poteet, and since livestock was endangered, James shot the alligator.  Of course, everyone had to have their ‘Mick Dundee’ photo op.  However, when the ‘dead’ alligator was brought back to our Schertz office so everyone could see him, and when we put him on the front walk for a photo shoot, it turns out he was not so dead after all.  Joe could not believe he had been handling that live alligator. He was up on his feet hissing with jaws open.  James then killed him again, put him in our cuttings cooler, and when Jim came back with Cub Scouts at

9:00 P.M., the gator was still breathing!”

We are told that in true Texas style, the gator is now off to a taxidermy shop to be stuffed.  Let’s hope he’s actually dead this time!