Swain William Bill House, 93, of Arkansas City and Cedar Vale died Sunday, March 8, 2009 at his Arkansas City home. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Services will include burial at 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 13, 2009 at the Ozro Falls Cemetery near Hewins, Kansas followed by a celebration of his life, at 1:00 p.m.at the Brown Center at Cowley County Community College, Arkansas City, Ks. Immediately following the celebration, a reception will be held at the Moose Lodge south of Arkansas City. Knowing how much Bill loved to entertain family and friends, we are holding one last "party" in his honor. Bill was born January 23, l916 at the home place north of Cedar Vale to Swain Ward and Matilda Fields House. He was a resident of Cedar Vale until 1992 when he moved to Arkansas City. His education included high school graduation in 1933 from Cedar Vale High School. After graduating from Arkansas City Junior College he finished his bachelor's degree in 1937 and his law degree in 1939 at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Bill married Catharine Holroyd in 1938 in Cedar Vale. They lived in Cedar Vale where he ranched and practiced law. She preceded him him in death in 1990. After practicing law briefly his father-in-law became ill and Bill decided to take over the ranch after his death. He changed from a steers to a cow-calf operation expanding and building what is known as House Hereford Ranch. Bill was an active participant on behalf of the beef industry. A few of his past ventures include; President of the American Hereford Association in 1963-1964, President of the Kansas Livestock Association 1964-1965, and a two term President of the American Nation Cattlemen's Association in 1968 and 1969. He was the first Kansan to head that organization. Mr. House had a strong influence in many state and national legislative endeavors concerning the entire beef cattle business. As a leader of the ANCA he worked on committees that were successful in establishing import quotas on beef from Australia and New Zealand. These quotas have been advantageous in maintaining the stability of the beef industry in the United States. In 1992 he married Carol Ard Smith in Cedar Vale at the Wee Kirk Church. That same year, Bill was also honored as the "Kansas Stockman of the Year" and recently received the 2008 Chautauqua County Pioneer Award. Active in many organizations, Bill has touched many lives in a positive and caring way. Friends were a treasure to him and he enjoyed life to the fullest. He made everyone feel special and will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Survivors include his wife Carol of the home, two stepsons, Jason and Jeff Smith and his wife Eryn, and three grandchildren, Micah Jeffrey, Addie Mae, and Canaan Swayne, all of Manhattan, Kansas. Brother, Alvin House and his wife Anne of Okemos, Michigan, sister-in-law Louise House of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, mother-in-law Hattie Mae Ard, Arkansas City, Ks. Brothers-in-law, Bruce Ard and wife Jeanette of Kinsley, Ks. and Michael N. Ard, Okinawa, Japan. Extended family Michael Young, wife Sunny and children Uriah and Jasper, Cedar Vale, God-daughter Lorri Pontious and husband John, children Adam and Chelsea and numerous nieces and nephews. Bill was preceded in death by his parents and brother Robert R. House. Memorials have been established with The Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum, The Denton Art Center or Hospice of Kansas. Contributions may be made through the funeral home.