Woodward Dream Cruise founder dies at age 69
By Carol Hopkins
Jean Chamberlain remembers getting a call from plumber Nelson House back in 1995 about fundraising money for soccer fields for his town of Ferndale.
“He came up the idea of doing a cruise around Ferndale,” she said. Chamberlain, of Royal Oak, liked the plan and later mentioned to House that her husband said cruising in the 1950s and 1960s really happened from Ferndale up to Square Lake.
Chamberlain suggested getting chambers of commerce involved and then didn’t hear any more from House.
Time passed and she learned Mr. House had set up the chamber meetings and the cruise was on. That August, 250,000 people came out to enjoy the first Woodward Dream Cruise.
“That’s what started it,” said Chamberlain, a member of the Woodward Dream Cruise board and president of JNC Consulting LLC.
Mr. House, 69, the innovative man behind the cruise, died Thursday, Aug. 12 at his home.
“He was a creative man,” said Chamberlain, “the kind of idea guy you’d like on any team. Years later, they’ve recognized him as the Father of the Dream Cruise.”
This year, the Dream Cruise and its classic cars will once again draw thousands of people to Woodward on Aug. 21.
Mr. House was born Aug. 24, 1940 in Northville to Nelson and Evelyn House.
Mr. House is a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He was very involved in the Ferndale community, serving as chairman of three bond issues, member of Ferndale High School Band Boosters, Elks Youth in Government Program, Kids Dream Field Foundation and mayoral candidate in 1996. Mr. House is survived by his wife, Venetta; children, Sean (Tessica), Derek (Andrea) and Sandra (Gene) Nieman; grandchildren, Ava, Mariella, Jessica and Jimmy; siblings, Lawrence, Elaine Mitchell, Alan, Carol Lowther, Maryanne, Michael and Stephen.
Visitations will be held from 5- 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 14 and 2-9 p.m. Sunday at Spaulding & Curtin Funeral Directors at 500 West Nine Mile Road in Ferndale.
He will be buried at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly.
Contact Oakland Press staff writer Carol Hopkins at 248-745-4645 or carol.hopkins@oakpress.com. Follow her on Twitter @waterfordreport.
Jean Chamberlain remembers getting a call from plumber Nelson House back in 1995 about fundraising money for soccer fields for his town of Ferndale.
“He came up the idea of doing a cruise around Ferndale,” she said. Chamberlain, of Royal Oak, liked the plan and later mentioned to House that her husband said cruising in the 1950s and 1960s really happened from Ferndale up to Square Lake.
Chamberlain suggested getting chambers of commerce involved and then didn’t hear any more from House.
Time passed and she learned Mr. House had set up the chamber meetings and the cruise was on. That August, 250,000 people came out to enjoy the first Woodward Dream Cruise.
“That’s what started it,” said Chamberlain, a member of the Woodward Dream Cruise board and president of JNC Consulting LLC.
Mr. House, 69, the innovative man behind the cruise, died Thursday, Aug. 12 at his home.
“He was a creative man,” said Chamberlain, “the kind of idea guy you’d like on any team. Years later, they’ve recognized him as the Father of the Dream Cruise.”
This year, the Dream Cruise and its classic cars will once again draw thousands of people to Woodward on Aug. 21.
Mr. House was born Aug. 24, 1940 in Northville to Nelson and Evelyn House.
Mr. House is a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He was very involved in the Ferndale community, serving as chairman of three bond issues, member of Ferndale High School Band Boosters, Elks Youth in Government Program, Kids Dream Field Foundation and mayoral candidate in 1996. Mr. House is survived by his wife, Venetta; children, Sean (Tessica), Derek (Andrea) and Sandra (Gene) Nieman; grandchildren, Ava, Mariella, Jessica and Jimmy; siblings, Lawrence, Elaine Mitchell, Alan, Carol Lowther, Maryanne, Michael and Stephen.
Visitations will be held from 5- 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 14 and 2-9 p.m. Sunday at Spaulding & Curtin Funeral Directors at 500 West Nine Mile Road in Ferndale.
He will be buried at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly.
Contact Oakland Press staff writer Carol Hopkins at 248-745-4645 or carol.hopkins@oakpress.com. Follow her on Twitter @waterfordreport.
posted by Edward Noble at
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