“An honest and kind person:” Family, friends reflect on legacy of Mike Westerhouse

Mike Westerhouse was remembered this week by friends, family and community members. He died Aug. 26 at 65.

BY LUCIE KRISMAN

A Eudora businessman was remembered this week by his family and friends as dedicated to serving his community wherever he saw a need.

Mike Westerhouse, 65, who started Westerhouse Heating & Cooling in 1977 “when he was too young to know better,” died Aug. 26 surrounded by his family.

The funeral is at 11 a.m. Friday at Lawrence First Church of the Nazarene, with precautions such as social distancing and masks in place. Family and friends can attend either in person or via the FM 89.7 radio station provided by Warren-McElwain Mortuary.

His son Aaron said the heating and cooling business was more than just work for his father, and customers enjoyed getting to know him.

"He focused a lot on providing honest, prompt and quality work," Aaron said. "He taught us a lot, and we don't really plan to change. We plan to take care of people the same way he would."

Westerhouse and his wife Sandi met in 1980 when he came to an apartment complex in Lawrence where she worked. They were married for 38 years and built the family business together with their sons Aaron and David.

On the family business website, Westerhouse noted he was training his young grandson to take over for the third generation.

“We have the best crew we've ever had. It makes it fun to come to work when you have [a] great team here,” he said in his website biography.

Sandi said her husband loved his family and enjoyed helping others within the community wherever he saw a need, whether it was through his church or the schools. He also helped his father build wheelchair ramps in the community or helped residents with home updates they could not do on their own.

"I know the community felt like he was very much involved and wanted to help where he could," she said.

Alicia Hayes, office manager of Westerhouse Heating & Cooling, worked for Westerhouse for seven years and said feedback from customers and those he worked with was consistently positive.

"I've worked at many different places, and he is the best person ever that I've worked for," Hayes said. "He was on top of everything. There's just not enough words to describe him."

In his time as a business owner, Westerhouse interacted frequently with other businesses and members of the Eudora community. Chamber President GW Weld knew the Westerhouse family his whole life.

"They're one of the businesses I'm most proud of being from Eudora," Weld said. "It's a huge loss for the community. Mike really was such an honest and kind person. Everybody loved him."

In his free time, Westerhouse also enjoyed fishing, traveling, hunting and following sports.

Memorial contributions can be made in his name to Lawrence First Church of the Nazarene, the Scleroderma Research Foundation or Samaritan’s Purse, and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS, 66044.

For more information or to post an online condolence, visit www.warrenmcelwain.com.

Reach reporter Lucie Krisman at eudoratimes@gmail.com.

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