Richard H. Houseworth

Richard "Dick" Houseworth, 77, of Trumansburg, passed away on October 17, 2026, at home surrounded by family.

Born on April 27, 1949, in Ithaca NY, Dick was the youngest of six children of the late Gordon M. Houseworth and Ardis L. (LaPoint) DeMund. His mother raised all six children on her own, and Dick called her his hero for the rest of his life. When she later married George DeMund, Dick gained a stepfather who became a supportive guide and taught him how to build.

Both 1967 graduates of Trumansburg Central School, Dick and Sandy started dating in the summer of 1968. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1968. They married on March 2, 1969, at the Mecklenburg Methodist Church. He served in West Germany, where he worked in heavy equipment maintenance and rose to the rank of Specialist Fifth Class. Sandy and their infant son, Mike, joined him and their second son, Joe, was born. The family returned home to Trumansburg in 1971.

Beginning in 1974, the family home on East Covert Road was built, starting with the basement, and it was there that the family welcomed their daughter, Wendy, in 1980. He lived in that home for more than fifty years.

In 1976, Dick founded Houseworth Heating and Plumbing, which he owned and operated for 39 years. Over those years he served many of the same neighbors, teachers, and families he had known since boyhood. In 2015, to his great pride, his son Joe and daughter-in-law Tricia purchased and are carrying on the family business.

Through it all, Dick and Sandy were a true team. She was his partner at home and the keeper of the family's stories, and from 2010 until they retired together in 2015, she rode along as his copilot on nearly every job. He often said he was proudest of being happily married "for 57 years and holding."

In 2014 he was diagnosed with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, and for more than a decade he faced it with patience, humor, and gratitude for every day with his family.

Dick was a builder, a fixer, and a hard worker. He believed in paying cash, keeping his word, and doing a job right. A natural problem-solver, he could find a way through any challenge thrown at him, and he took pride in doing his own work on cars, houses, and equipment. He was happiest working with his hands, whether building a walnut grandfather clock, running his beloved backhoe, or restoring a 1957 Chevy and a 1973 Corvette with his grandsons. Passing down those skills and the knowledge behind them brought him special joy.

Dick was loyal and grateful, and he never forgot the people who helped him along the way. He believed that meaning in life comes from quietly doing what you do best, "one job at a time." He urged younger people to do what matters to them while they still can.

He will be remembered for his devotion to Sandy and their family, his dependability and generosity, his sense of humor, his readiness to lend a hand, and his deep love of dessert. He will also be remembered for the simple wisdom he passed on: carry cash and a handkerchief, check the oil, say "I'm sorry" and "I love you," and find something to be grateful for every day.

Dick is survived by his wife, Sandy (Drake) Houseworth; his children, Mike (Trina Hein) Houseworth, Joe (Tricia Porter) Houseworth, and Wendy Houseworth (fiancé Michael Smith Jr); his grandchildren, Alexza, Samuel (Meghan), Wesley, Jack, Grayson, Ian, Savanna (Vinnie) and their son Lou; his sisters, Carol Shannon, Susan (Rocco) Magnosi; his brother, David (Christine) Houseworth; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and longtime customers.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his stepfather, George DeMund; his brother, Gordon Houseworth Jr.; and his sister, Donna (Houseworth) Morrow.

A celebration of Dick’s life will be held on Wednesday, October 28, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the American Legion Post 770, located at 4431 E. Seneca Road, Trumansburg, NY 14886. The graveside service will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alpha-1 Foundation, Rochester Regional Health Hospice Care, or Trumansburg United Methodist Church.