W.B. "Bennie" House Jr.

Bennie was born February 7, 1940, in Houston, Texas, relocating to Monroe, Louisiana, for his teen years and returning back home to Texas to attend college. He left college in 1964 to serve his country in the United States Coast Guard, with Honorable Discharge. He continued as a proud Cougar at the University of Houston where he received both his Psychology and Juris Doctorate degrees. As an undergraduate he served as wrangler to Shasta, the UH cougar mascot and later, during his graduate studies, he presided as president of the Student Bar Association. He became a licensed attorney September 18, 1970 and practiced law with Maley & Friedman for two years. Bennie found true fulfillment in practicing law as he embarked on a distinguished 40 year career as a criminal attorney, certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Criminal Law. He was licensed in the US District Court of Appeals, in the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits and served as lead council in the trial of eight capital cases throughout his career. Bennie served as Chairman of the Board of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, 1976-1978 and as president the following year, 1977-1978. He was also an Associate Director and served on the Board of Directors of Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer's Association for 12 years. Bennie was actively involved in many other Texas Judicial Associations and taught as an adjunct professor at South Texas College of Law.

Bennie’s pastimes included golf where he had a sweet swing that almost enabled him to turn pro, and he enjoyed the annual chili cook off at the Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo. He also had a true passion for reading with the amazing ability to read a book a day, almost every day.

Bennie is survived by his daughter, Angela House Chavez, her husband, Fabian and their children Chloe, 3 and Rocco, 1; and his son, William Benjamin “Bennie” House III, wife, Jenni and their children, Abigail, 4, Charlie, 2, and Eli, 1 month as well as his brother Perry House. He is also remembered by his dear friend of 20 plus years, Alta House, her son Dennis Smith and his wife, Olivia and their children Sydney, Jacob, and Kyla who fondly knew Bennie as Papa-B. There are so many more people that will remember Bennie as a smart, funny and extremely generous man who touched the lives of every person he met and was a true charmer.

Family and friends will gather for a visitation from six until eight o'clock in the evening on Thursday, September 15th at Waltrip Funeral Directors in Houston, TX., where funeral services will begin in the funeral home chapel at ten o'clock in the morning on Friday, September 16th with Reverend M. Eugene Vickrey officiating.