PF crosswalk lights dedicated to late county assessor
Pam Houser on Wednesday presses the button on the new rapid flashing crosswalk system dedicated to the memory of her late husband, Rich Houser, in Post Falls. The crosswalk was installed by Post Falls Rotary through a partnership with the Rotary Foundation and the city of Post Falls. Also pictured: Rich and Pam's daughter Beth Atkinson, far left; son Andrew Houser, center; granddaughter Chalee Atkinson; and daughter-in-law Sara Houser.
DEVIN WEEKS/Press
Post Falls Rotarians and family members of the late Rich Houser gather Wednesday around the new rapid flashing crosswalk system dedicated to Houser at 12th Avenue and Fir Street in Post Falls. Front row, from left: Michelle Lewis, Amy Boni, Beth Atkinson, Pam Houser, Chalee Atkinson, Sara Houser and Christina Petit. Back row, from left: Jerry Sinn, Jessica Bauman, Kibbee Walton, Andrew Houser, Arthur Wallace, Loren Whitten-Kaboth, Chad Rittenour, Carrie Ward and Anna Wilson.
Rich Houser was known to light up a room.
Now, a rapid flashing crosswalk dedicated to his memory by the Post Falls Rotary will light up a street to keep students and pedestrians safe.
With a few tears and even more smiles and laughter, the late Kootenai County assessor's family gathered Wednesday afternoon around the newly installed crosswalk sign at 12th Avenue and Fir Street near Mullan Trail Elementary in Post Falls.
His wife of 40 years, Pam Houser, pressed the crossing button, making it official that Rich Houser's love of community will continue to shine in Post Falls.
“It’s such an honor to honor his legacy," said Post Falls Rotary Community Service Chair Jessica Bauman. “Your memory of him, it lives on and it will forever live on, so thank you for your willingness to let us dedicate this to your husband, to your dad, to your grandpa.”
Bauman said the service organization was proud to dedicate this crosswalk to Rich Houser.
"Rich was a member of the Post Falls community for 40 years plus,” Bauman said. "He served thousands of hours and thousands of burgers through the Post Falls Community Volunteers. He was a faithful servant of our Kootenai County area, with Kootenai County for 34 years. He was elected as Kootenai County assessor in 2019 in January."
Her words caught in her throat for a moment as she remembered the much-loved Houser, who died May 3, 2020, after undergoing cancer treatments and coming down with an infection.
“His legacy lives on in the countless lives he touched in our community," Bauman said. "He always had something encouraging, uplifting and just fun to say. No matter how many times that you interacted with Rich, you felt like he was a friend, instantly."
One of Post Falls Rotary's pillars is child safety. This is the fourth crosswalk system the Rotary Club has installed in Post Falls. The service organization works with the Post Falls School District to identify areas in need of these systems, which increase visibility and driver awareness of school-age students walking to and from school. Rotary of Post Falls holds fundraisers and applies for grants for the crosswalk lights, which cost more than $7,000 each year.
Rich Houser was a founding member of the Boys & Girls Club of Kootenai County. He also volunteered countless hours with the Post Falls Lions Club, the Post Falls Parade Committee, Friends Church and more. Plus, he was a coach and officiator for wrestling, baseball and junior tackle football.
Pam Houser said it's a wonderful feeling to have this crosswalk dedicated in his honor.
"Rich loved kids," Pam said. "Many of his volunteer hours were spent with Boys & Girls Club. This is cool it has to do with kids, safety and getting to school back and forth safely. We're honored that his name is going to be here. There are lots of places in the community where they've honored Rich, which is super cool. We feel really blessed."
She said he would respond to this honor with humor and humility.
"He would be very humbled," she said. "He was a behind-the-scenes kind of guy."
