First John and Marilyn House Servant Leadership Scholarship awarded

There is a reason Columbus, GA, was named the nation’s first “Servant Leadership City.” The commitment to servant leadership from Columbus-based corporations, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and individuals has made a lasting impact.

Add John House and his wife, Marilyn, to the list. They learned the philosophy of servant leadership through years of military and community service and volunteering. They volunteered by greeting visitors and conducting tours at the National Infantry Museum (NIM) beginning in 2009, when it opened.

John retired as a Colonel after 26 years of service. When John was performing his duties in the military, Marilyn was at home raising their four daughters.

“Aside from being a great mother, Marilyn imbued a volunteer spirit in our daughters. The idea for the scholarship came from them as a way to honor both of us,” said House.

The recognition is even more special now. After 51 years of marriage, Marilyn succumbed to the effects of Alzheimer’s and died in February 2025.

“Our girls, without my knowledge, came up with the idea to honor their mother’s and my service to the community, and particularly the National Infantry Museum, by introducing a scholarship for a high school senior who volunteers at the NIM.”

The staff at the NIM developed the criteria in coordination with the family and selected the winner. The NIM Foundation made the selection based on hours volunteered, plus other activities and an essay.

“Saturday, June 27, was a special day.  The National Infantry Museum Foundation and my daughters awarded the first John and Marilyn House Servant Leadership Scholarship to a NIM high school student volunteer, Gabby Martin.”

“As we discussed this as a family, I recommended making this a permanent award.  That led to contact with the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley to manage a fund that would allow for such an award and potentially the recognition of other worthwhile service activities someday.  Therefore, the John and Marilyn House Community Service Fund came into being.”

The purpose of the Fund is to provide support for community service initiatives at charitable organizations in the Columbus, Georgia, community. Members of the House family serve as the Fund’s Advisors and recommend grants from the Fund to the Community Foundation, which makes all final decisions regarding the grants.

The John and Marilyn House Community Service Fund is owned and managed by the Community Foundation. Donations may be made to the Fund via credit card at the Community Foundation’s website (https://cfcv.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund.)

After Marilyn died, John reengaged with the NIM.

“I am back at the NIM weekly at least and volunteering with a number of other organizations just as I once did with Marilyn.”