BISHOP EDMOND GALILEO HOU-SEYE
Bishop Edmond Galileo Hou-Seye, age 83, died on 3/21/2010, at Sunny Ridge Nursing Home with his daughter Nancy at his side.
Edmond was born April 5, 1926, in Wausau, Wis., son of the late Bernard Housey and Adella (Sweeney) Housey. He moved to the Sheboygan area with his family at six months of age.
He attended elementary schools and Central High School in Sheboygan.
When he was 17 years old, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He fought in the Japanese Theatre and is credited with driving the third armored tank ashore during the Invasion of Okinawa. He was eligible for three Purple Hearts, having injured his lungs in a fire, been struck by a misfired missile, and been shot through the abdomen by a Japanese sniper. Hou-Seye had four Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), including water filtration, demolitions, and aircraft mechanics. He served in Marine Air Group 41 (MAG-41) under Colonel Pappy Boyington (famed Black Sheep Squadron).
After the war, he returned to school and graduated from Central High School in 1948. He also attended Mission House College (Lakeland) in Sheboygan County where he studied theology and engineering.
He married Mary Louise Degenhardt at St. Peter Claver Church in Sheboygan on January 8, 1949. The couple resided in Sheboygan and had four children, Mary Louise, Nancy Jayne, Pamela Elizabeth and Job Edmond.
He worked at a variety of jobs including as a production work at Armor Leather, managing a chain of DX Sunray service stations in Sheboygan County, as a salesman with the Sheboygan Furniture Forwarding Association, and for Kiel Oil.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Kennedy Administration recalled him to active service as the senior weapons inspector at the Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois.
Realizing he was better suited to being self-employed, Edmond began a lawn mower repair business in the early 1960s. He later founded Jose’s Golf and Service Clinic. Hou-Seye pioneered self-service gasoline in the United States, which evolved into the Jose Incorporated chain of self-service gas stations, an enterprise he operated with his wife and children for many years. The business changed to meet market conditions and at various times included used car sales, a gasoline bulk route, lawn mower repair, and Wisconsin's largest outdoor used tire outlet. He was a self-professed workaholic and worked long hours, even into his senior years.
He had a keen interest in politics, and ran for offices ranging from alderman and mayor to U.S. Senator and governor. He was an ardent supporter of Gov. George Wallace in his presidential bid against George McGovern, and often described himself as a Nixon- Wallace Democrat. In the 1978 Democratic primary for Governor, he garnered 27 percent of the Wisconsin vote against Gov. Patrick Lucy.
In 1986, he ran backfield for the Republicans, stealing 20 percent of the Democratic primary vote away from Gov. Anthony Earl, resulting in Tommy Thompson being elected to the governor's seat. He was often described as a political maverick.
In 1976 he founded the Research Universal Life Church, a non-denominational church respectful of all religions.
Ed’s hobbies included motorcycling, gardening, and welding-art. He was a supporter of the National Rifle Association, and in his youth he belonged to the Sheboygan Bridle and Saddle Club.
Survivors include his children Mary Lou (Leroy) Dorzok of Tipler, Wis., Nancy (Russell) Nitsch of Sheboygan, Pamela (Dennis) Holmer of Sheboygan, and Job Edmond (Wendy) Hou-Seye of Sheboygan; his grandchildren, Mary Lou Palmer of Mesquite, Texas, Jesse Arnold of Sheboygan, Ted Arnold of Manitowoc, Jennifer Nitsch of Sheboygan, Randy Nitsch of Grafton, Katie Nitsch of Sheboygan, Dustin Holmer of Sheboygan Falls, Samson Edmond Daniel Hou-Seye of Sheboygan, Jacob Holmer of Sheboygan Falls; seven great-grandchildren; his sisters, Barbara (Pete) Ognavic of Sheboygan; and Frances Colby of Cascade; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Leroy Housey and James Housey, his beloved wife of 54 years, Mary (Sept. 13, 2002); and his brother, Lawrence Housey.
A showing was held at Ballhorn Funeral Home in Sheboygan, on Tuesday, March 23. The funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m., on Wednesday, March 24, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 2705 S. 14th St. in Sheboygan.
