George Michael House April 02, 1955 – March 17, 2019 Sign Guestbook CURATOR/MUSEUM SPECIALIST George Michael House, 63, passed away on March 17th at his home in Alamogordo, New Mexico. He was born on April 2nd in Silver City, New Mexico. He graduated from Cobre High School in Bayard in 1973, then joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Charleston, South Carolina where he served as a Navy Corpsmen.
After being honorably discharged from the Navy, he went home and started attending Western New Mexico University in Silver City. In 1977 he transferred to Lubbock Christian College for a couple of years, did one semester at Texas Tech. in Lubbock, then transferred back to WNMU.
In 1983 he began his museum career when he was hired at the WNMU Museum as a Graduate Assistant. In December, 1983 he married the love of his life, the former Maria Enriquez. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Social Science in 1984 and his Masters degree in History in 1985.
In December, 1985 he moved to Alamogordo with his wife and daughter after he was hired at the International Space Hall of Fame, which was later renamed the New Mexico Museum of Space History. He became the Space Center’s longest-serving Curator. For over nearly 29 years, he acquired artifacts with ties to space history.
He had the opportunity to meet and interview astronauts and other famous people such as: Frank Borman, Deke Slayton, Gene Kranz, Clyde W. Tombaugh, and several others for the museum’s oral history program. He was instrumental in creating the New Mexico Space Trail after passing a historical marker and asked, “There are no space-related historical markers anywhere in the state. Why not have a space trail?
” He developed maps outlining the trail, while the museum’s savvy research and marketing team expanded on the educational efforts of the trail’s legacy. After retiring from the Space Center, ten months later he went to work for the White Sands Missile Range Museum as a Museum Specialist, where his focus was no longer on space history, but military history. He worked for three years at the White Sands museum before being forced to retire due to ill health.
He was a member of the Cuba Avenue Church of Christ where he served as a church deacon for over 20 years. He and his wife later became members of the Cloudcroft Church of Christ. Survivors include his wife of 35 years, Maria House.
His son, Benjamin. His daughter, Vanessa and her husband, Richard Gomez. His grandsons, Drew and Gabriel Gomez.
His twin sister, Nancy Robertson, her husband, Tommy and their sons, Tommy Jr. and John Robertson, from Silver City. His brother, John Neal, from Atlanta, Georgia. His father, William “Bill” House and siblings, David and Karen House from Port Townsend, Washington.
Several aunts, uncles and cousins, and his in-laws – his wife’s family, the Enriquez Family. He is preceded in death by his son, Joshua Michael House and his mother, Ruth L. Billings. A Celebration of Life service for George Michael will be held Monday, March 25th at 10 a.m. at the Alamogordo Funeral Home Chapel on First Street with Minister, Gary Truex officiating.
Interment service will immediately follow at Monte Vista Cemetery. A noon meal will take place at the Cuba Avenue Church of Christ Fellowship Hall. Pallbearers include Mario Enriquez, Tracy Mimms, Dave Mitchell, Michael Shinaberry, Wyatt Sparks, and Dave Woods.
The House family have entrusted their loved one to the care of Alamogordo Funeral Home to direct the arrangements.
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